BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) — Flooding in some of the soybean-growing areas of Argentina’s Cordoba, Entre Rios and Santa Fe provinces is worrying the government as farmers prepare to start harvesting.
The agriculture ministry said in its weekly report that the northern part of the Pampas grain belt has been whipped by storms this month, adding to heavy rain in February that washed out roads and flooded wide areas.
“In some cases, the water level is worrying in medium- and low-lying areas,” the ministry report said.
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Argentina is the world’s No. 3 soybean exporter and top supplier of soyoil and soymeal livestock feed.
The government expects a record 2014-15 soy crop of 58 million tonnes, slightly more than the 57 million tonnes forecast by the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange.
The exchange said last week it will probably cut its forecast once damage from the flooding can be assessed.
At the same time, parts of the southern Pampas grain belt is suffering from overly dry conditions.
“A large percentage of early-planted soy in central and southeast Buenos Aires province is in its pod-filling stage, while later-planted soy is in its flowering stage,” the report said. “Both will suffer losses to potential harvest production due to lack of soil moisture.”
