Sep 11, 2024
Annual Month-by-Month Crop Production Cycle in Argentina
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Below is the month-by-month crop production cycle for Argentina. I have listed the cropping sequence and the general weather patterns that can be expected for each month. Also is listed the production cycles for Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia.
September
- Sunflower planting underway in northern Argentina.
- Corn planting begins in north-central Argentina and eastern Argentina and progresses southward depending on soil temperature.
- Wheat is in vegetative development.
- Temperatures in northern Argentina can be quite warm.
- Temperatures in central Argentina warming up to 70's-80's, but cool spells still possible.
- Rainfall is in the form of spring showers.
October
- This is the main early-season corn-planting month, especially in central Argentina. Farmers like to plant their corn in two phases. The planting of the first phase is generally completed by the end of October, they then skip planting corn in November and resume planting in December.
- Finish sunflower planting in northern Argentina, start sunflower planting in central and southern Argentina.
- Begin early soybean planting in central Argentina.
- Wheat is moving from vegetative development to flowering.
- Temperatures warming up to the 80's or hotter.
- Rainfall can be variable.
November
- The first phase of corn planting complete in central Argentina.
- Corn pollination starting for the earliest planted corn.
- Soybean planting in full swing.
- Wheat moving from flowering to grain filling to maturity and early wheat harvest begins.
- Double crop soybeans are planted after wheat is harvested.
- Sunflowers are flowering.
- Temperatures now are at summertime levels; heat waves are possible.
- Summertime rains usually become more common.
December
- Second phase of corn planting underway in southern and northern Argentina.
- Early planted corn pollinating in central Argentina.
- Finish planting full season soybeans, planting double crop soybeans after wheat is harvested.
- Early planted soybeans flowering and setting pods.
- Most of the wheat is harvested by the end of the month.
- Temperatures are now approaching maximum summer highs.
- Rainfall is usually abundant but can have dry spells.
January
- Early planted corn filling grain and approaching maturity.
- By the end of month, some early corn and sunflowers are starting to be harvested.
- Finish the second phase of corn planting by the end of the month.
- Finish wheat harvest by early January.
- Finish planting double crop soybeans by early January.
- Full season soybeans flowering, setting pods, filling pods.
- Maximum summer temperatures.
- Summer rains are variable. If there is going to be a hot and dry period during the growing season, it will most likely occur during January. That is why farmers do not like to plant corn in November, because if they did, it would pollinate in January.
February
- More first phase corn and sunflowers are now being harvested.
- The corn planted during the second phase is entering pollination.
- Full season soybeans setting and filling pods.
- Double crop soybeans flowering.
- Temperatures can still be very hot, but the temperatures start to cool off by the end of the month.
- Normal summer rainfall. Rain may start to get lighter by the end of the month.
March
- Harvest is in full swing for corn planted during the first phase of planting. Corn planted during the second phase is pollinating and filling grain.
- Main month for soybean pod filling.
- Harvest begins for early maturing soybeans.
- Temperatures are starting to recede from their summer highs.
- Rainfall is getting lighter.
April
- Harvesting the first phase corn is wrapping up.
- Corn planted during the second phase is filling grain and maturing.
- Full season soybean harvest in full swing.
- Double crop soybeans are filling pods and maturing.
- Start to plant winter small grain crops by the end of the month.
- Temperatures cool to "fall-like" levels.
- Rainfall is variable, but still can have periods of heavy rain.
May
- Harvesting starts for the corn planted during the second phase.
- Finish harvesting full season soybeans.
- Harvesting double crop soybeans is underway.
- Main month for planting winter small grains.
- Temperatures continue cooling.
- Rainfall is variable, might even be some "frozen" precipitation.
June-July-August
- This is the "winter season" in Argentina.
- Temperatures in northern Argentina are pleasant, temperatures in central Argentina are cool and frosts can be common, temperatures in southern Argentina are cold with some light snow possible.
- Winter rain/snow can occur at any time.
- Finish planting winter small grain crops in June.
- Finish harvesting double crop soybeans in June.
- Finish harvesting the second phase corn by mid-August.
- Farmers are actively marketing their grain and watching for selling opportunities due to potential weather problems in the U.S.
- Farmers are making plans for the next growing season and purchasing their inputs.
- By the end of August early "spring-like" temperatures are starting to return.
Crop Production Cycles for Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia
Paraguay - I do not publish a month-by-month production cycle for Paraguay because it is similar to the state of Parana in southern Brazil. The main soybean production region of Paraguay is along the eastern side of the country right across the Parana River from western Parana. The weather, soils, and cropping practices in Paraguay are similar to that of western Parana.
In fact, many of soybean farmers in Paraguay are Brazilians who moved across the border starting in the 1970's in search of cheap land.
Uruguay - The soybeans in Uruguay are grown in two locations. One area is along the western side of the country across the Uruguay River from Argentina and the cropping pattern there is similar to that of eastern Argentina. The other area of soybean production is in the northern part of the country along the border with the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil and the cropping pattern there is similar to southern Brazil.
Bolivia - The soybean production in Bolivia is in the eastern part of the country which borders on the state of Mato Grosso, so the cropping pattern there is similar to that of western Mato Grosso.