Argentina Exchange Sees Corn Planting Up as Much as 20% in Coming Campaign

By Maximilian Heath

BUENOS AIRES, Aug 13 (Reuters) – Farmers in Argentina’s central crop region intend to increase corn planting by between 15% and 20% in the 2025/26 season compared to the prior season, the Rosario grains exchange reported in a forecast on Wednesday.

Corn planting in the key food-exporting country begins in September.

Last season, 8.3 million hectares (32,046 square miles) were planted with corn in Argentina, yielding a harvest of 48.5 million metric tons, according to data from the exchange.

The exchange said the shift was driven by excellent soil moisture reserves for early sowing and the declining appeal of soybeans due to tighter profit margins.

Corn and soybeans are both summer crops and compete for area in the South American nation. Soybean planting begins in October.

The exchange also warned that the leafhopper, an insect that transmits diseases damaging to corn, could again become a problem in the country’s north. Argentina’s 2023/24 season suffered severe losses due to a major surge in the leafhopper population, which thrives in warmer temperatures.

Regarding the 2025/26 wheat crop, for which planting has already been completed, the exchange reported that it has adequate moisture reserves and maintained its harvest estimate of 20 million tons. Harvesting of the crop begins in November.

(Reporting by Maximilian Heath; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by Leslie Adler and Kylie Madry)