With a month's delay, corn harvest is accelerated before rains return

Argentine farmers and contractors are racing against time to harvest the late corn crop, working around the clock to take advantage of a narrow window of good weather. The harvest is significantly behind schedule, with fears that further rainfall could exacerbate delays and lead to substantial losses.

According to Cristian Russo, head of Agricultural Estimates at the Rosario Board of Trade, the harvest is approximately one month behind its usual pace. This delay is attributed to a combination of factors, including cloudy conditions, higher-than-normal temperatures in July, and excessive soil moisture that prevented grains from drying and machinery from accessing fields.

Luis "Fredy" Simone, president of the Argentine Federation of Agricultural Contractors (Facma), corroborated the widespread delays, estimating that 45% to 50% of the late corn crop remains unharvested nationwide. He noted that issues with grain moisture levels, which did not decrease to necessary levels, also contributed to the slowdown. Some producers opted to wait, hoping to avoid artificial drying costs, but this strategy carries the risk of crop damage from wind and further weather events.

The Bolsa de Cereales de Buenos Aires also reported significant delays, with the harvest progress lagging considerably behind the average of the past ten campaigns. The urgency to complete the harvest underscores the vulnerability of agricultural output to weather patterns and the economic implications of such delays for producers.