Argentina’s Economic Activity Fell 3.9% in June
Area planted with corn in the 2024/25 season could reach 7.67 million hectares. This represents a drop of 21%, or 2 million hectares, when compared to the area planted in 2023/24, mainly due to the damages caused by the corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis) in the previous season. (Rosário Commerce Exchange)
Argentina’s economic activity fell 3.9% in June when compared to the same month of 2023, despite increases in the agricultural sector performance. The economic decline was worse than market projections had indicated. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Census, 41.7% of Argentines are below the poverty level. (Indec)
Research conducted over three years in the Western and Central-Western regions of the State of Paraná have shown that crop diversification in the succession between soybeans and second-crop corn can increase farmers’ profits by up to 11%. The experiments performed by Embrapa and the Copacol Agricultural Research Center identified the three most profitable farming models, which include the introduction of brachiaria, black oats and wheat into the production system. (Embrapa; Copacol)
From January to July, agribusiness exports from the State of São Paulo reached US$ 16.8 billion (+9.6%), representing 42.8% of the State’s Trade Balance. Highlights include the sugar and alcohol complex, with US$ 6.51 billion, forestry products (US$ 1.83 billion), meats (US$ 1.81 billion) and the soybean complex (US$ 1.77 billion). Imports were US$ 3.3 billion (+9.3%). (Government of São Paulo)
Heatwaves and low humidity in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul are increasing the risk of fires. In the city of Pedro Gomes, the temperature reached 41.2ºC, the highest recorded in the State in 2024. The forecast for next week comprises temperatures around 35ºC to 41ºC, with Relative Humidity from 8% to 20%, and it is advisable to avoid using fire on farms and vegetation. (Semadesc; Cemtec)
SLC Agrícola released financial results for the 2Q 2024. During the period, the company achieved a considerable growth in potential planted area for the 2024/25 season, reaching almost 60 thousand arable hectares. There were also advances in the purchase of inputs and Hedges (commodity price fixing). (SLC Agrícola)
Exports to India from January to July have increased 53% when compared to the same period in 2023, reaching US$ 459 million. Fruits, manufactures and minerals are the main products, according to Ignacio Fernández, general director of ProChile, an institution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that promotes goods and services from the country. In the case of fruits, the highlight is nuts, apples and kiwis. (ProChile)
Per capita consumption of mechanized rice reached 46 kg in 2024, an increase of 12% when compared to the consumption observed in 2019, of 41 kg. The region with the highest consumption was Córdoba, with 71 kg per person. There was an increase of 9.5% in the planted area in 2024 when compared to 2023. (Fedearroz)
More than half of Mexico’s land is no longer suitable for agriculture. It is equivalent to 59% of the country’s territory, according to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. (UN)
Corn harvest is expected to reach 3.64 million tonnes for the 2024 harvest. Most departments in Paraguay suffered new production declines, because of losses recorded due to adverse weather conditions that shortened the production cycle and, consequently, have brought forward the harvest, which is close to being completed. (StoneX Consulting)
Two months after the beginning of corn exports from the 2024 harvest, 227,003 tonnes were exported, which is 46 thousand tonnes more than in the same period of 2023. This is due to improvements in land logistics. “The improvement in land logistics, especially on the Ciudad del Este/Foz de Iguazú border, explains this greater dynamism”, highlighted Sonia Tomassone, Foreign Trade advisor at the Paraguayan Chamber of Exporters and Traders of Cereals and Oilseeds. (Capeco)
The scenario for the new soybean harvest in the country is challenging, according to economist and former finance minister Manuel Ferreira Brusquetti. “The current soybean prices are a consequence of the increase in production in Brazil combined with the good weather in the United States. Both factors generated a significant accumulation of global stock”, said Brusquetti. International soybean prices have returned to pre-war levels between Ukraine and Russia, which worries farmers. “Paraguay will have to adjust its sales dates and start selling differently from what has been practiced up until now”, stated the former minister. (MF Economics and Investments)
The Ministry of Agriculture pointed out that the country’s fruit production is considered as having the highest quality in the world. Peru seeks to expand production to other sectors, such as meat, and will invest in infrastructure to improve the country’s water resources. “We want to compete and diversify the agro-export of vegetables and fruits… this government will end its term in 2026, leaving signed contracts for irrigation infrastructure works benefiting 238 thousand new hectares”, said Angel Manero, Minister of Agriculture. (Midagri; APEC)
Agricultural exports continue to grow, reaching sales of US$ 4.5 billion, an increase of 11.3% when compared to 2023. Traditional agricultural exports reached US$ 302 million (+46.2%) and non-traditional exports reached US$ 4.2 million (+9.4%). (Midagri)
More than 20.1 million birds have been slaughtered in the country so far in 2024, surpassing figures from 2022 and 2023, which reached 19 and 18.9 million birds slaughtered, respectively. The Avícola Frontini slaughterhouse reached first place in slaughtering in the country, with 5.09 million birds, or 25.4% of the total. (INAC)
National agribusiness organizations are against the Bill on “Conservation and preservation of the natural rural environment”, which aims to protect the environment from incorrect agricultural practices. The productive sector warns that the Bill is counterproductive: Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Rural Federation, said that it is neither necessary nor appropriate. In a statement, the Rural Federation and the Rural Association of Uruguay said that “the project restricts the freedom of farmers to manage their lands”. (FR; ARU)
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