Torrential rains in Argentina's Buenos Aires province in the second half of May keep delaying wheat and barley planting and soybean and corn harvesting.
As much as 15 inches of rain fell in less than a week in northern parts of the province, resulting in delayed planting, flooded fields, and inaccessible roads as well as the best soil-moisture levels in years, according to the Rosario board of trade RBT.
Wheat planting advanced by 21.8 percentage points in the week through 18 June, reaching 60.3pc complete, Buenos Aires grain exchange Bage reported. That was 5.2 points behind last year's pace, though the difference is largely due to increased planted area this year. Soil-moisture levels are contributing to uniform emergence with good plant stand coverage across the wheat-growing area.
For some producers, the delay has pushed planting past the window to plant longer-growing cycle wheat varieties. Some producers have been reported as willing to plant shorter-cycle varieties instead, although some have struggled to acquire seeds.
The rain also delayed the soybean harvest, preventing farmers from re-planting those fields with wheat. As a result, some farmers have begun switching to other crops such as early plant corn and additional soybeans, according to RBT.
Following this, the RBT this week trimmed its wheat planting estimate for a second week in a row by an additional 50,000 hectares (ha), after last week's cut of 100,000ha. Wheat area estimates from Bage's and Argentina's economy ministry were unchanged at 6.7mn ha and 6.9mn ha, respectively.
Soybean harvesting almost finished
Soybean farmers continued to close the gap with last yea''s harvest, reaching 96.5pc complete as of 18 June, up by 3.2 points from a week earlier and only 2 points behind last year, according to Bage.
Most areas remaining to be harvested are in northern Buenos Aires province, where some areas are still too waterlogged to harvest.
Soybean yields have been better than expected in many areas, thanks to February rains that mitigated the impact of drought during the end of 2024 and start of 2025, according to the economy ministry. It raised its soybean production estimate by 900,000 metric tonnes (t) to 49.9mn t as a result, despite trimming its estimate of area planted by 100,000ha to 17.8mn ha. Bage maintained its soybean crop estimate of 50.3mn t.
Corn harvest at halfway point
Argentina's corn harvest, though also slowed by rain, advanced by 2.9 points the week ending 18 June to 49.6pc complete, even with last year's pace, according to Bage.
Harvesting of late-planted corn has begun in the north and east of Buenos Aires province, though some farmers reported difficulties related to waterlogged fields. Also, high soil-moisture levels have resulted in above-ideal grain moisture levels, with producers working to avoid losses from weak stems and fallen or stunted stalks.
Lack of rain, especially in Argentina's north, at the start of the season reduced corn yields this year, according to the economy ministry, which cut its corn crop estimate on 19 June to 51.6mn t from 52mn t. The ministry also cut its estimate of the area harvested to 7.4mn ha from 7.6mn ha.
Argentina's average corn yield was reported as 7.8 t/ha, though yields have varied widely depending on the region, according to Bage, which left its corn crop estimate unchanged at 49mn t as of 19 June.
The corn that remains unharvested is in the maturing stage, with farmers waiting for grains to dry and fields in the still-soggy parts of Buenos Aires province to dry out. There have been no reports of severe problems with disease or pests.
Barley, sunflower
Barley planting reached 35pc finished in the week through 18 June, 13 points behind last year's pace, the ministry said.
The delay was due to wet fields conditions in parts of the main barley producing region, the Buenos Aires province. The ministry left its estimate of the area planted at 1.6mn ha.
Argentinian sunflower growers finished planting the first week of June, according to the ministry, which raised its planted area estimate to 2.3mn ha from 2.2mn ha, and its production estimate to 5.1mn t from 5mn t.
