Corn planting in Argentina slows on low rains amid hot and dry weather forecast

The pace of corn planting for the season 2021-22 has slowed down in Argentina due to a lack of adequate rainfall, according to the reports from the local agricultural commodity exchanges.

Argentina's 2021-22 corn crop will be marketed over March 2022-February 2023.

Planting of the early corn crop reached 21.1% of the total forecast area of 7.1 million hectares as of Oct.6, the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, known as BAGE, said Oct. 7.

As of Oct. 6, 1.5 million hectares were sown with corn crop as compared to 1.3 million hectares a year ago, BAGE said in the report.

It is worth noting that rains were not adequate in the beginning of 2020 corn planting campaign as well and a significant acres were planted later in December and January.

There was very little progress in sowing of the cereal in the last seven days and good rain is urgently needed, Rosario Stock Exchange, known as BCR, said in a report on Oct. 7.

The accumulated rainfall in the country between Jan. 1 and Oct. 6 is 75 mm below the last 30-year average for that period, BCR said in the report.

Argentina not only has to face the possibility of La Nina, a weather phenomenon, ahead but also has to make up for the shortfall in rains seen since last year, BCR said.

Generally, Southeast Asia, South Africa, India and Australia receive above-normal rainfall during a La Nina event, and drier weather is seen in Argentina, Europe, Brazil and the southern US.

Meanwhile, the weather forecast for Argentina in the coming days is not favorable.

"Overall, rainfall is expected to remain below normal over the next 10-15 days, which will lead to further declines in soil moisture and stress germination and early growth of corn and soybeans," according to Maxar forecast on Oct. 7.

Moreover, Maxar said that European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts show that the most significant precipitation deficits occurring in Argentina during December and January.

The model also shows above normal temperatures and the combination of heat and dryness during the heart of the growing season in Argentina would potentially lead to significant stress on the corn and soybean crops.

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

Argentina is usually the third-largest corn exporter in the world following the US and Brazil.