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Conditions that are not very encouraging for the country's producers.
The latest National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) report issued this Monday (27/03), reveals that Argentina's agricultural industry is facing severe drought conditions, with many areas experiencing below-average levels of vegetation growth. The situation is particularly serious in the northern region of Buenos Aires, the eastern part of Córdoba, the central-southern part of Santa Fé and the southern region of Entre Rios.
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According to data from INTA, negative anomalies in the vegetation index (NDVI) have intensified and expanded in these areas, presenting levels of photosynthetic activity below average in relation to the same period from 2000 to 2022. In some regions, the index values are even lower than the historic minimum. On the other hand, regions such as the Northwest, Cuyo, the central part of Patagonia and the southeast part of Buenos Aires presented above average values in the index.
The drought has significantly affected the country's agricultural crops, with the corn harvest still continuing in all provinces. Corrientes, Entre Rios and Santa Fé are the provinces with the largest harvested area (100%, 72% and 24%, respectively). In other corn growing regions, the phenological stage ranges from grain filling (for late varieties) to maturity (for early varieties).
The sunflower harvest is also underway, with Corrientes, Chaco, Formosa and Santa Fé among the most advanced provinces. However, in Entre Rios and Córdoba, the harvest is almost finished, while Buenos Aires and La Pampa have a progress rate of 40% and 37%, respectively. Some regions still have crops in the field, between the end of the filling phase and maturation.
The soybean crop was the most affected by the drought, with the second crop being the one that suffered the most due to the current phenological stage. According to INTA, the first harvest is completing grain filling and advancing towards maturity. Meanwhile, the second harvest is completing flowering and progressing towards grain filling in all provinces. The drought and high temperatures of recent weeks have significantly affected the growth of the second crop.
Drought conditions have caused great concern among farmers, who fear that crop yields will be lower than expected. Some have reported that they are already seeing the impact on their crops, with lower yields and smaller grain sizes. The government has taken steps to alleviate the situation by providing subsidies and financial assistance to affected farmers. However, many producers are still struggling with the effects of the drought and are hoping for some relief in the coming weeks.
Source: Seane Lennon | agrolink
