The total area affected by the droughtwas calculated at the beginning of January, close to 55% of the national territory, while only around 1,140,408 square kilometers, that is, 45.48%, do not currently present situations of water stress.
According to a report from the Information System on Droughts for South America (Sissa), of the total affected, 22.19%, around 555,812 km2is going through a moderate drought, while 14.39% are in a drought severe. The same study reveals that 8.9%, 222,939 km2 are in an “abnormally dry” process..
Private estimates coincide with official forecasts in placing wheat, whose harvest is ending with a result of between 11.5 and 13.4 million tons, which implies a decrease in grain volume close to 50% compared to the previous season.
The attention of economic officials is focused on soybeans and corn, although According to the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange (BCBA), soybean planting was 11.7 percentage points (pp) behind and corn was 7.7 pp..
The Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, estimated the losses between 2,300 million and 2,900 million dollars”although he suggested that “It may happen that what we lose by volume we recover by price”. While the Rosario Grain Exchange estimated that the fall in exports will be 3,900 million dollarsgoing from U$S 41,550 Million in 2022, to U$S 37,550 for this year.
