Argentina’s core agricultural farmland could suffer “massive losses” in wheat yields due to another drought, the Rosario Grains Exchange warns, even as the country reels from a drought in the last cycle deemed the worst in 60 years.
The exchange has not yet changed its forecast for a 15 million tonne wheat harvest for the current season.
Argentina is a major global wheat exporter, in addition to processed soybeans and corn, but some its most fertile farmlands are suffering from poor rainfall. Last season’s drought hammered harvests, halving the country’s wheat output from the 23 million tonnes produced the previous year.
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The exchange noted that of one million hectares (2.47 million acres) sown with wheat in the core region, 400,000 are listed in regular condition and 100,000 in bad condition. The report added that some hectares have been left to grazing animals due to the area’s poor condition.
Argentine farmers have sown some 5.4 million hectares of wheat, with initial harvesting set to begin in coming weeks.
The exchange said the crop’s health will depend on fresh rainfall, but little was in long-range forecasts issued Oct. 10.
The drought is also delaying corn planting in the centre of the agricultural zone, according to the Rosario exchange, and if dry weather persists, some fields could be turned over to soybean planting.
The Rosario exchange forecasts that farmers will plant 8.5 million hectares of corn this season, with an estimated yield of 56 million tonnes.
