Argentina

General Information

Main climates: Subtropical Humid, Subtropical Steppe and Semiarid, Subtropical at 1 000 m above sea, Subtropical Desert and Arid, Temperate Desert and Arid, Temperate at 1 000 m above sea, Temperate Steppe and Semiarid

Total land area: 278 040 000 ha
Internal renewable water resources: 694 km³
Incoming water flow: 300 km³
GNP per capita, 1998: PPP$ 11 728
Main food consumed: Meat, Oil & fat, Sugar & Honey, Milk, Wheat
Rice supply, 1999: 5.7 kg paddy/capita/year

Basic Statistics

	1985	1990	1995	2000
RICE
Harvested area (T ha)	108	116	184	185
Yield (kg/ha)	3678	3670	5032	4637
Production (T t)	400	428	926	858
Imports (T t)	0.27	1.21	7.11	NA
Exports (T t)	111	75	390	NA
OTHERS
Population (M)	30.30	32.52	34.76	NA
Agr population (M)	3.90	3.98	4.02	NA
Irrigated agr area (T ha)	1560	1560	1561	NA
Fertiliser cons (T t)	161	165	524	NA
Agr tractors in use (T units)	204	270	280	NA

Producing Zones and Cropping Seasons

Rice is grown mostly in the Northeast region. The following table shows the harvested areas in major rice producing zones

Production zone	Harvested area (% total harvested area)
Entre Rios	55.60
Corrientes	32.60
Santa Fe	5.71
Formosa	4.50
Chaco	1.46
Misiones	0.13

Rice is grown once a year as shown in the following table

Cropping season	Planting	Harvesting
Main season	10-11	3-4

Production Practices

Rice is planted mostly under irrigated conditions. Rice production is on large-scale (50 ha or more per farmer), highly commercialised and mechanised. Rice is grown in rotation over years with pastures and cattle grazing. Rice seeds are drilled into dry soils. High yielding varieties belonging to both indica and japonica types are planted. Following table shows the rice varieties planted recently in the country.

Variety Name	Released period	Growth duration (days)
CHUI	1990-94
CT6919	1990-94
El Paso L-144	1990-94	131
GUAYQUIRARO P.A.	1985-89
H 144-7	1990-94
H 251-24	1990-94
H 253-8	1990-94
H 258-4-2	1990-94
IRGA 414	1990-94	123
IRGA 417	1990-94
JACKSON	NA
JODON	NA
L 1119	NA
SAN MIGUEL	NA	119
TACUARI	NA	115
TAIM	1995-99
VILLAGUAY P.A.	1985-89
YERUA P.A.	NA

Farmers generally applied agro-chemicals, including fertilizers, in rice production. The following table shows the responses of rice to fertilizer application

Other information	Test range (kg/ha)	Control rate (kg/ha)	Control yield (t/ha)	Rate at Maximum yield (kg/ha)	Maximum yield (t/ha)
Nitrogen (N)
Reported in 93, Zona Centro, variety El Passo 144	0-75	0	6.3	50	7.6
Reported in 93, Zona Centro, variety El Passo 144, with 30 P kg/ha	0-75	0	6.7	75	7
Reported in 93, Zona Centro, variety San Miguel	0-75	0	4.6	50	5.6
Reported in 93, Zona Centro, variety San Miguel, with 30 P kg/ha	0-75	0	4.3	50	6
Reported in 93, Zona Norte, variety El Passo 144	0-75	0	6.3	25	6.9
Reported in 93, Zona Norte, variety El Passo 144, with 30 P kg/ha	0-75	0	5.2	50	7.3
Reported in 93, Zona Norte, variety San Miguel	0-75	0	4.4	50	5.6
Reported in 93, Zona Norte, variety San Miguel, with 30 P kg/ha	0-75	0	4.8	25	5.6
Reported in 93, Zona Sur, variety El Passo 144	0-75	0	3.8	75	5.2
Reported in 93, Zona Sur, variety El Passo 144, with 30 P kg/ha	0-75	0	4.2	25	4.6
Reported in 93, Zona Sur, variety San Miguel	0-75	0	3.8	50	5.1
Reported in 93, Zona Sur, variety San Miguel, with 30 P kg/ha	0-75	0	3.3	25	4.9
Reported in 95, Zona Norte, pH 6.2 soil N 0.171% soil OM 4.2% available P 10.2 ppm, variety El Passo 144	0-75	0	6	75	8.2
Reported in 95, Zona Centro, pH 6.5 soil N 0.122% soil OM 3.1% available P 5.8 ppm, variety El Passo 144	0-75	0	6.2	50	7
Reported in 95, Zona Norte, pH 6.2 soil N 0.171% soil OM 4.2% available P 10.2 ppm, variety El Passo 144, with 30 P kg/ha	0-75	0	6.6	50	9.2
Reported in 95, Zona Centro, pH 6.5 soil N 0.122% soil OM 3.1% available P 5.8 ppm, variety El Passo 144, with 30 P kg/ha	0-75	0	5.1	75	6.7
Phosphorus (P2O5)
Reported in 93, Zona Sur, variety El Passo 144	0-30	0	3.8	30	4.2
Reported in 93, Zona Sur, variety San Miguel	0-30	0	3.8	0	3.8
Reported in 93, Zona centro, variety El Passo 144	0-30	0	6.3	30	6.7
Reported in 93, Zona centro, variety San Miguel	0-30	0	4.6	0	4.6
Reported in 93, Zona Norte, variety El Passo 144	0-30	0	6.3	0	6.3
Reported in 93, Zona Norte, variety San Miguel	0-30	0	4.4	30	4.8
Reported in 95, Zona Norte, soil with pH 6.2, soil N 0.171%, soil OM 4.2%, available P 10.2 ppm, variety El Passo 144	0-30	0	6	30	6.6
Reported in 95, Zona centro, soil with pH 6.5, soil N 0.122%, soil OM 3.1%, available P 5.8ppm, variety El Passo 144	0-30	0	6.2	0	6.2

Constraints and Issues of Sustainable Production

High production cost.
Dependence on external market for marketing of rice products.
Straight head, especially on sandy soils in Corrientes.
Weed infestation (Echinochloa sp and Bracchiaria sp).
Low temperatures during early and/or reproductive phases.
Yield potentials of rice varieties have reached a plateau.

The following table shows the rice production costs

Other information	Yield (t/ha)	Cost ($/ha)	Cost ($/t)
1987-89	5	2998	600
1984-85	3.49	691	198

The country has still large land and water resources for the expansion of rice production. Sustainable rice production depends largely on the economic factors such as the relative competitiveness of rice to other crops.

Research and Development Institutes

· Catedra de Genetica y Mej. Animales y Vegetales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Casilla de Correo 31, La Plata 1900, Argentina

· Centro Operativo Colonia Mascias, Ministerio de Agricultura, 3001 Colonia Mascias, Argentina

· Santa Fe Estacion Experimental "Ing. Agr. Julio Hirschhorn", A.P. 31, Calle 60 y 118, 1900 La Plata, Buenos Aires,

· Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Corrientes, A.P. 57, 3400 Corrientes, Corrientes, Phone: (0783) 65011

· Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria, Concepcion del Uruguay, A.P. 6, 3260 Concepcion del Uruguay, Entre Rios, Phone: (0442) 5561

· Centro de Investigaciones de Recursos Naturales, Banco de Base INTA, 1712 Castellar, Buenos Aires, Phone: (0266) 22040