MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Record crop of corn in Argentina: 22.5 million tons; yield 8.5 tons per hectare

Abundant rains at the right moment made for the exceptional harvest

Argentina’s 2009/2010 crop of corn is estimated to reach 22.5 million tons of corn, based on better than expected yields, according to Buenos Aires Grains Chamber.

would be marking another record crop similar to that of 2006/07 said the Chamber adding that the hectare yield is a record breaking 8.54 tons.

This is attributed to the excellent weather all along the corn season.

Nevertheless last weekend rains have impeded finalizing the harvest of “the few lots of second grain which still remain in the fields”. Until Wednesday Argentine farmers had harvested 89% of the 2.63 million hectares planted with corn.

This represents a slight 4.8 points delay compared to a year ago with the 2008/09 crop.

“Harvesting could slow further because of rains forecasted for this weekend in several provinces”, cautioned the Grains Chamber.

For the Argentine government the corn crop this year should reach 21 million tons, however for the US Department of Agriculture the volume is closer to 22.5 million tons.

The Buenos Aires Grains Chamber also released the estimates of the 2009/2010 soy bean crop, 55 million tons and the area expected to be planted with wheat this winter, 4.2 million hectares.