Argentina Soya Continues Slow Climb
9 May 2006 Soybean production in Argentina continues to grow, though at a slower pace than in previous years. While there still exists open areas for expansion, particularly in the northern provinces such as Salta, Jujuy, and Chaco, the settling down of commodity prices and increase in land and input costs are slowing investors’ expansion plans, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service (USDA-FAS).
For 2006/07, USDA-FAS estimates total production of soybeans in the country to reach 41.3 million metric tons (MMT) from a harvested area of 15.5 million hectares (Ha). Some of the increase in area is due to more second crop harvesting of soybeans following wheat.
Some growers inter-cropping wheat and soybeans, mainly in southern areas that experience shorter growing cycles and early frost risks such as Tandil and Balcarce. Inter-cropping entails planting soybeans between wheat rows. The benefit of this method is that growers can move up the planting date of soybeans by 20 to 30 days and increase yields. Otherwise, growers would plant soybeans directly after wheat harvest, which, in these areas, is from the end of December through middle of January. The earlier soybeans are planted, the better the potential yield — for every day soybean planting is delayed after January 1, yields fall significantly. By inter-cropping, growers achieve a crop that is similar to first-crop soya than second-crop soya in terms of yields. Additional experiments are being done with inter-cropping maize and soya and sunflower and soya, but with less success.
Get The Newsletter Today!
