Argentina is a diverse agricultural economy, producing both grains such as maize, sorghum, and wheat, and oilseeds such as soybeans and sunflowers. Argentina’s strategic location in the Southern half of South America give it a major role in off season crop production when no grain or oilseeds are being produced in the Northern hemisphere. Most of the seeds planted to the broad list of crops receive a seed treatment package to address a number of threats to the seedlings. In fact, the Argentinean seed treatment expenditures by seed producers and channel partners exceeded USD 100 million in 2013.
In general terms, the 2013/14 crop season is affected by world commodity prices, local currency valuation, export taxes and export quotas for corn and wheat, and to variable weather patterns which in the past several crop seasons has had a significant impact onproduction in different areas and crops.
Some 32 million hectares are planted with corn, sorghum, soybean, sunflower, and wheat in Argentina in 2013. A majority of corn and sunflowers are treated with seed treatment chemicals. The average area of wheat, sorghum, and soybeans is lower, averaging 80% (wheat) to 90% (sorghum and soybeans)Continue reading→