ARGENTINA (15 February)
Harvest of the 2002/03 wheat crop was completed by mid-January under generally dry weather conditions. About 5 890 000 hectares have been harvested which compares to 6 840 000 hectares in the 2001/02 campaign. Output collected is estimated between 12.2 million and 13 million tonnes, a considerable decline from the previous season output of 15.3 million tonnes and from the past five-year average of 14.9 million tonnes. Besides the reduction in plantings, the drop in production is also attributed to the adverse weather, particularly the heavy rains in the main producing areas of southeastern Buenos Aires province.
Normal to heavy rains resumed by the end of January, thus benefiting the 2002/03 maize crop which had been affected earlier by the dry weather conditions. Planting has been completed and the harvest is due to start from March. Despite the beneficial rains, the decline reflects a reduction in the planted area as compared to 2001/02 as well as to the past five-year average plantings. Early forecasts indicate a 2003 maize output of about 14 million tonnes, well below the average of 16 million tonnes of the past five years and the 14.7 million tonnes harvested in 2002.
Planting of the 2003 paddy crop was completed by the end of January. The total area planted is provisionally estimated at about 138 000 hectares, an increase over the 124 000 hectares planted in 2002 but well below the average of 213 000 hectares. Production of paddy in 2002 was 0.7 million tonnes which compares to a five-year average of 1.1 million tonnes.