Rain Brings Argentina’s Soybean Crops Much-Needed Relief

By Nicolas Misculin

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 5 (Reuters) – Rain on Tuesday and Wednesday brought much-needed relief to crops in Argentina’s central farming region, especially to soybeans, after high temperatures and little moisture in January, the Rosario grains exchange said.

The arid climate in recent weeks led to repeated cuts to harvest forecasts. The Buenos Aires grains exchange currently estimates 49.6 million metric tons of soybeans and 49 million tons of corn in the 2024/25 harvest.

Argentina is the world’s top exporter of soyoil and meal and the No. 3 corn exporter.

“The rains of the last few hours in the central region were more abundant than expected and presented a much more even distribution than in previous events,” the Rosario exchange, home to the country’s main agricultural export hub, said in a report on Wednesday.

According to the report, rainfall exceeded 80 mm (3 inches) in the north of Buenos Aires province and the south of Santa Fe province, in the country’s agricultural heart, and came at a critical time for soybeans, which are harvested beginning in May.

The exchange warned that rain needs to continue for producers to avoid further losses.

“Next week’s rains will continue to be crucial to stabilizing the situation of the crops,” the report said.

(Reporting by Nicolas Misculin; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by Rod Nickel)