Country News
Argentina: A lack of proper crop rotation techniques is threatening the soil quality in the Pampas region of the world’s third largest corn producer, according to Retuers. This is a result of farmers favoring soy plantings because, unlike corn or wheat, there are no established export quotas for soybeans. Soy plantings are projected to total 20.65 million hectares in 2013/14, which is up from the 14.5 million hectares planted 10 years ago. Corn is projected to be planted on 5.7 million hectares this year, which is down from 6.1 million hectares in 2012/13, but still significantly higher than the 2.99 million hectares planted a decade ago. According to government data, fertilizers are only able to restore 37 percent of the nutrients soy removes from the soil, ensuring that 63 percent of nutrients are lost permanently each year.
Canada: Improved yields and expanded acreage are set to increase Canada’s grain crop, reports Bloomberg News. Barley production is set to increase by 18 percent this year to 9.43 MMT, which is the largest crop since 2009. Corn production is predicted to match last year’s total of 13.1 MMT.
Japan: The Agriculture Ministry has announced that it will import 49,380 MT of feed wheat from this week’s buy and sell auction, according to Reuters. No bids for barley were received. The Ministry had sought 180,000 MT of feed wheat and 200,000 MT of barley in the weekly tender, and will seek the same amounts in next week’s tender that will close on October 30.
South Africa: Farmers in Africa’s largest corn producing state will likely reduce corn acreage by 3.5 percent in 2014, reports Bloomberg News. It is predicted hat 2.69 million hectares of corn will be planted this year, which is down from last year’s 2.78 million hecatres as well as the five-year average of 2.75 million hectares. Yellow corn for December delivery has increased to $230/MT