Argentina could surpass Brazil in corn exports for the second consecutive year in the 2016/17 season, assessments by the agricultural attaché of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicated this Wednesday.
In 2015/16, Argentines already surpassed their neighbors after a drought drastically reduced production in Brazil, which in recent years has been the second global exporter, behind the USA. But in 2016/17, shipments of cereal from Argentina would surpass those from Brazil amidst great growth in Brazilian production and also in the neighboring country.
This Wednesday, the USDA attaché estimated corn exports from Argentina in 2016/17 at 26 million tons, 1 million tons above the official USDA projection.(bit.ly/2eH4Rm6) “This increase is due to a growth in initial stocks (from 2016/17), with the attaché placing 2015/16 production at 30 million tons, 2 million above the official USDA number, due to a larger planted area. The additional production should allow for a greater export volume in 15/16, at 20.5 million tons…”, according to the report.
The attaché's data is not considered official by the USDA, which still sees Brazilian exports at 25.5 million tons, above Argentina's, projected at 25 million tons. Argentina's corn production in 2016/17 was estimated by the attaché at 36.5 million tons, equal to the USDA estimate. In the 2015/16 season, Argentines produced 28 million tons, according to the US department.
Argentina's 16/17 corn harvest is in the planting phase, with around a third having been completed so far, according to the attaché's report. According to the USDA, the Brazilian harvest will grow from 67 million tons in 2015/16 to 83.5 million in 2016/17.
Source: Agrolink
