By 

Robson Mafioletti

Eng. Agronomist MSc. Applied Economics 

ARGENTINA

With the country's three most important corn and soybean provinces receiving just 64% or less of normal rainfall in 2010, crop and market-watchers have started to get nervous about Argentina's crops. 

It is necessary to follow the next few weeks of weather in Argentina, because the plants are starting that early development stage.

In 2010/11, Argentine farmers are expected to plant 18.65 million hectares (1.7% more than the 2009/10 crop). As of Friday, 59% of the total area has been planted. 

The three most important provinces (Buenos Aires, Córdoba e Santa Fé) represent 75% of the total soybean area in the Argentine soybean belt called "Umid Pampa". As of Friday, soybean emergence in Buenos Aires is rated at 73%, Cordoba 66% and Santa Fé 53%.

So far, the corn and soybean soils of Buenos Aires have received only 64% of normal rainfall. In Cordoba, the story is even worse, with just 52% of normal rainfall received. And in Santa Fe, 62% of normal rain has fallen on crop soils. 

CORN 

In 2010/11, Argentine corn farmers will plant an estimated 4.01million hectares (9.0% more than crop 2009/10). As of Friday, 80% of the crop has been planted.

Like soybeans, the three most important provinces (Buenos Aires, Córdoba e Santa Fé) represent 71% of total area of corn in Argentina's "Umid Pampa" area. Emergence of the corn crop in Buenos Aires 99.5%, Cordoba 81% and Santa Fé 84%.

Reports about weather indicate that the corn and soybean crops are in good and regular conditions. With the lack of normal rainfall, there is concern building, regarding the crop progress in some regions of production in Argentina.

BRAZIL

As the month of December gets underway, Brazilian farmers are hoping a favorable crop-weather season continues. However, there are weather forecasts that show a La Nina weather pattern could bring  dry/hot weather to the southern states of the country and excessive rain to the northern region Brazil.