As a result of the three consecutive years of domination by La Niña, a climatic event that causes scarcity of rainfall and which has worsened in a large part of Argentine territory in recent months, 55% of the country suffers from droughts to varying degrees.
For agricultural production and, consequently, also for the national economy, the situation is critical. The entire area of the provinces of the central region, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Entre Ríos and Santa Fe, the most important by volume of agro-industrial production, is in drought conditions.
There, having lost much of its winter crops, mainly wheat and pulses, early corn that could have been planted has failed by a high percentage, soybeans that have been planted are trying to survive, and a significant acreage is still waiting to be planted. planted with late corn and soybeans if some saving rain permits. The landscape of completely dry streams, thin animals due to lack of grass and hundreds of them dying of thirst in some areas, outline a desolate landscape. The consequences will be seen in the short and medium term: poor harvests, lower supply of meat and milk, substantially reduced foreign exchange and agricultural income, producers who will be excluded from the game, among others.
According to the Drought Information System for Southern South America (SISS), as of January 5, 2023 54.48% of the country experiences droughts of various degrees: 11.57% suffers from an exceptional drought; 7.43% an extreme drought; 14.39%, severe; 22.19%, moderate; and 8.9% are abnormally dry.
If analyzed by province, 1.95% of the Buenos Aires is experiencing exceptional drought; 10.26% are in extreme drought; 18.14%, severe; 39.94%, moderate; and 16.43% are abnormally dry. Fortunately, 13.28% of the Buenos Aires area remained safe from the water deficit.
In the Cordoba only 2.03% of the land managed to escape drought; 0.46% suffer from extreme drought; 26.04%, severe; 54.24%, moderate and 17.24%, are abnormally dry.
For its part, the entire province of Between rivers it is dry: 6.09% in an extreme situation; 64.06% in severe drought; 29.28%, moderate; and 0.57% is abnormally dry.
While, Santa Fe it is also ravaged by drought from end to end. There, at 0.08%, it’s outstanding; in 9.03%, extreme; in 38.54%, severe; in 44.97% it is moderate, while in 7.39% it is abnormally dry.
“This drought has affected the central area especially in recent months,” said Karina Flores, a member of the Central Directorate for Climate Monitoring of the National Meteorological Service (SMN). “Also, the downspout from the Paraná River two years ago was like nothing we’ve seen in the last 50 or 60 years. All this is closely related to the lack of rain, first in the center of Cuenca del Plata, and then it spread throughout the country due to La Niña,” explained Flores.
Second Rosary bag (BCR), so far, in central areathe area covering southern Santa Fe, northern Buenos Aires and southeast Entre Ríos, 40% of early sown maize has already been lost. This is about 80,000 hectares that will leave losses of $1,500 per hectare in leased fields and $780 per hectare in own land. There is still 12% of the late corn remaining to be planted, and due to the delay in the works, the BCR estimates a 30% drop in production with losses of nearly $350 per hectare for the leased fields. Also, There are more than 3 million hectares of premium soybeans in the region in fair to poor conditionleaving 200,000 hectares still unplanted.
After the sowing window, the period in which a crop can be sown for optimal development, Remains to be implemented in 30% of corn area and 20% of soybean area in the central agricultural region and all the producers look to the sky praying that the millimeters appear that will reduce losses at least a little.
Source: Clarin
