2023-11-18 17:20:46
Federico Bertcollaborator of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), considered today that the agricultural production can obtain a “revenge” during the current campaign following three consecutive campaigns marked by a strong drought which negatively impacted crops. He assured that the rain record brings “good news, since the soils were recharged.”.
“Agricultural production awaits a campaign for revenge, I hope we have it, since we come from a campaign that was dramatic due to its results obtained throughout the entire country as a result of the drought: therefore, this is the one that “It can give us the revenge in climatic terms that the countryside in Argentina needs,” Bert explained in dialogue with ‘Country Air’by rbye Profile.
The specialist in technological issues for the field considered that, even when half of the thick area was planted, “the story has just begun and everything is yet to be defined.”
He also considered that, in terms of soil moisture, which in the last three cycles was a limitation for the generation of crops, “as might be expected from the statistics given the occurrence of a Niño phase, the rains were largely reactivated. part of the productive regions. This is good news, since the soils were recharged in a large part of the national agricultural area.”
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“The tank is full with rainwater, but nothing is said, the people in the fields know that they have to wait until the last day of harvest or until the grain is lifted,” Bert explained cautiously.
Growth potential
Federico Bert considered that Argentina has “a lot” of growth potential in terms of production and yield without increasing the current area occupied by crops. “In general terms, we obtain 60% of what we might get in the field, using the same technologies, and only adjusting management issues and especially what has to do with fertilization.”
“There are several very serious scientific studies that show the gap between what we have today and what we might have; without using new technologies, we stop earning 40% on the lots. Of course, in some crops more or less, as can happen with soybeans, but this gap is explained by fertilization issues. And there it must be said that perhaps it is not fertilized as it should be because the macroeconomic context in Argentina is unstable, uncertain and has high tax pressure, which discourages the use of new and better technology in the lots,” he assured.
Wheat campaign
Regarding wheat, Bert commented that “the final campaign was going very well, but a series of climatic events occurred that reduced the potential that wheat was going to have. Here we must refer to the continuity of the drought, because there are wheat crops that arrived late and suffered from a lack of rain. “For this reason, some winter crops suffered from a lack of water in the soil, and also from frost.”
“These types of events, specifically the frosts, had a very strong impact in the north of the province of Buenos Aires, for example in towns like Chacabuco, where the damage recorded by the cold was significant in the wheat lots: damage was recorded from 12 to 80% in some lots,” he assured.
According to Bert, the evaluation that can be carried out at the national level, “is that an exceptional wheat campaign will not be obtained due to the loss of grain yield.”
The perception expressed by the specialist validates the forecast made this week by the Rosario Stock Exchange that cut the wheat production forecast to 13.5 million tons for the 2023-24 cycle. Thus, a cut of regarding 800 thousand tons was established compared to the previous estimate.
Attack on weeds
Federico Bert also considered that, during the current agricultural campaign, following three years of drought, “the main challenge for the agricultural producer is resistant and tolerant weeds. Luckily, I have noticed in recent years that the producer’s wrist has been improving and his handling is better than what he had two or three seasons ago.”
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“Although controlling weeds also implies increasing costs, since controlling them in the plots is not easy. But with good agronomy and good products, this can be achieved. Therefore, we must be aware of it, in a year where yields must be maximized: it is key,” he explained.
Fertilize as key
Bert explained that “another key element to obtain a good production is to undertake good soil fertilization, since in the face of a campaign that climatically seems to be good or better than previous ones, this is an important issue to take into account.”
There, he recognized that the increase in fertilizer prices “plays once morest” the investment option that the farmer always has. He also indicated that to this is added “a very bad financial situation of the producer that both factors discourage the use of fertilizers. Although the producer is always encouraged to invest given the possibility of having a good campaign,” he said.
“What we see today is that fertilization levels are maintained or increased, according to some recent surveys. In addition, it is good that they do not mark significant drops. However, leaving out the current situation, in Argentina, fertilization levels are relatively low, since less is fertilized than what one might think is needed in a field to maintain soil fertility and maintain yields,” express.
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