Argentine Harvest Slower This Year

May 6, 2002

A week of dry weather aided harvest progress for Argentina's 2001-02 summer crops, but the harvest pace is slower than last year, says USDA. The corn harvest reached 36% compared to 50% last year, according to the Argentine Ministry of Agriculture report from April 26.

Harvest losses for corn have been higher than average, especially for key growing areas in southern Santa Fe Province and northern Buenos Aires Province. Not all growing areas in Argentina have reported harvest losses yet.

The Argentine sunflower harvest is normally complete by the end of April, but this year, due to the heavier than normal. Sunflower harvest losses are usually low and this has been the case this year, except in the southern Buenos Aires area of Tres Arroyos.

Argentina's soybean harvest reached 29% compared to 48% last year. This year's harvest is slower than the last two years, but it is faster than the harvest pace in 1998-99. Heavy rains have had a negative effect on crucial growing areas in southern Santa Fe Province.

Soybean harvest losses have been significantly higher than average in Casilda and Venado Tuerto delegations. The area lost so far is 20,000 hectares in Casilda, and 13,450 hectares in Venado Tuerto. While those numbers are relatively small compared to a total harvested area of 11.3 million hectares, the percent loss compared to average is three to four times larger. These two delegations typically have high yields so the production loss may be even higher.