Argentina's corn crop could see boost as leafhopper outbreak recedes
BUENOS AIRES, Oct 31 (Reuters) -Argentine farms planted with corn could surpass the 6.3 million hectares (15.6 million acres) planned for the current crop due to fewer leafhopper insects plaguing the area, after recent harvests sustained major losses due to the bug, a major grains exchange said on Thursday.
The Buenos Aires Grains Exchange (BdeC) also cited improving profit margins as further boosting the South American nation's 2024/25 corn crop.
Agricultural powerhouse Argentina is the world's No. 3 corn exporter, only behind Brazil and the United States.
In its weekly crop report, BdeC pointed to the leafhopper's "low presence" over much of the country's key farmland possibly leading to an increase in plantings for the 2024/25 corn harvest.
The tiny leafhopper insect sucks sap out of plants, transmitting bacteria that produce stunt disease in corn that has wiped out vast swathes of planted farmland in recent cycles.
Last season, a leafhopper outbreak led to corn losses estimated at 10 million metric tons.
The BdeC calculates that current corn plantings have reached nearly 35% of the estimated area for the crop, which is seen yielding 47 million tons.
The exchange also noted that Argentina's 2024/25 soybean crop has kicked off without problems due largely to abundant rainfall in recent weeks. It estimates that soy plantings now cover about 3% of the 19 million hectares planned for the country's top cash crop.
The 2024/25 wheat harvest, meanwhile, is nearly 8% complete, but near-term rain is needed around the southern area of the core agricultural area, according to the BdeC report.
The exchange estimates that the wheat harvest will reach 18.6 million tons.
Reporting by Maximilian Heath
Editing by Marguerita Choy
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