Mercosur: Crops in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay could be reduced by droughts - analysts

World supplies of corn and soybeans could be double-affected by reduced or suspended Black Sea shipments and droughts reducing crops in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, H. M. Gauger GmbH said in their early March report.

The former optimistic forecasts have been reduced strongly by the Bolsa BA for Argentina: corn output is now forecast at 51 mln tonnes (last year 51.5 mln), soybeans at 42 mln (46.2); for Brazil corn is seen at 110 mln tonnes (last year 87), soybeans at 125 mln (last year 138 mln tonnes). Brazil’s last year’s safrinha crop was a disaster, this year a production of 86 mln tonnes is forecast, but it will only be harvested by April/June.

Argentina has harvested 5.2 mln tonnes of barley of good quality. Export licences have been booked for 2.1 mln tonnes of feed and 0.9 mln tonnes of malting barley. Feed barley sales are said to are destined almost exclusively to China.

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