Coming Argentina Rains Seen Limiting Drought Damage to Soy, Corn Crops

By Maximilian Heath

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 8 (Reuters) – Rains set to arrive in Argentina in mid-January should bring relief to soybeans and corn in the core farm region hit by a recent dry spell, a climatologist at the authoritative Buenos Aires grains exchange told Reuters on Wednesday.

Eduardo Sierra, a meteorological analyst at the exchange, said that according to their model, some 50-75 millimeters (2-3 inches) of rain was expected between Jan. 16 and 22 in the key farm region, where hot dry weather since last month has started to hit crops.

“These rains could greatly limit the impact of the dry weather. They would allow us to get through in better shape to February, when we will see how much rain falls,” he said.

The exchange has estimated the planting area for 2024/25 soy at 18.4 million hectares and corn at 6.6 million hectares.

However, recent dry weather linked to a La Nina weather pattern has started to dent the two crops that are important to reviving Argentina’s embattled economy and bringing in much-needed foreign currency via exports.

“It’s complicated, it’s difficult. There are, above all, (early) corn crops that are in a complicated state,” said Cristian Russo, head of agricultural estimates at the Rosario grains exchange, Argentina’s other main exchange.

At the start of the month, the Rosario exchange warned that in many parts of the country’s key grain-producing regions water reserves were at critical levels after a December with below-normal rainfall linked to La Nina.

The La Nina in Argentina usually brings lower rainfall in the South American country’s extensive Pampa plains.

Unlike some previous La Nina patterns, such as an intense one two seasons ago that caused historic crop losses, the current one is more moderate, which should be a silver lining for local farmers.

“This La Nina is not a strong version,” said Sierra, who noted that the true extent of the weather pattern will be fully seen in February, when rains usually return to Argentine fields after a seasonally dry and warm January.

“It will have an impact, but we don’t expect a catastrophe.”

(Reporting by Maximilian Heath; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Bill Berkrot)