Corn crop condition improves in Argentina after rains, more expected this week: BAGE

Rains in Argentina over the last few days have improved the water levels and corn crop conditions, the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange said Feb. 24.

About 21% of Argentina’s corn crop was in good or excellent condition as of Feb. 23, up from 19% a week earlier, BAGE said.
Rains have replenished moisture in large parts of the central and southern parts of the country where a significant area of late-planted corn is going through the critical phase of the crop growth cycle, BAGE said.

More rains are expected in the coming days in Argentina.
“Wetter weather will prevail across Argentina over the next week, which will lead to significant improvements in soil moisture, reducing stress on late growth of corn and soybeans,” space technology provider Maxar said in its daily weather report Feb. 24.

BAGE maintained Argentina’s corn production forecast at 51 million mt for the marketing year 2021-22.

The 2021-22 corn crop will be marketed from March 2022 to February 2023.

Argentina produced 52.5 million mt of corn in MY 2020-21, according to BAGE.

In Argentina, early corn is usually planted September-October and harvested April-May, while the late corn crop is sown December-January and harvested June-July.

Argentina is one of the top three corn exporters in the world.

Farmers in the country have already marketed 15.442 million mt of 2021-22 corn as of Feb. 16, compared with 17.662 million mt a year ago, agriculture ministry data showed.

S&P Global Platts

Tags: condition, Argentina, Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, water levels, BAGE, rains, corn