# ![](media/image1.png){width="0.875in" height="0.6083333333333333in"}United States 

Department of

Agriculture

Foreign

Agricultural

Service

Circular Series

WAP 02-06

February 2006

**Serbia - Montenegro and Croatia Corn: Summer Rains Produce Record
Crops**

![](media/image2.wmf)\
The Balkan region harvested a very large corn crop in 2005/06 as
plentiful rainfall boosted the summer crop's yield to record levels in
many countries. The combined factors of an above-average rainfall during
the summer growth stage and a dry milder fall harvesting period,
resulted in above-average to record yields in these countries.

Serbia and Montenegro, one of the largest non-EU corn producing
countries in Europe, is estimated to have harvested 7.0 million tons of
corn in 2005/06, up 0.7 million from both last month's estimate and last
year. Area is estimated at 1.2 million hectares, down slightly from last
month, but remaining on par with last year's 1.2 million. Yield is
estimated at a record 5.74 tons per hectare, up 14 percent from last
month and 10 percent from last year. Corn production in Croatia is
estimated at a record 2.5 million tons, up 0.5 million from last month
and up 0.3 million from last year. Harvested area is estimated at 0.4
million hectares, unchanged from both last month and last year. Yield is
estimated at a record 6.25 tons per hectare, up 25 percent from last
month and 14 percent from last year. *(For more information, contact
Bryan Purcell at 202-690-0138.)*

> **Argentina Corn: Heat and Dryness Cause Significant Damage to Crop**
>
> Argentina's corn production for 2005/06 is forecast at 15.5 million
> tons, down 8 percent from last month and down 21 percent from last
> year. Harvested area for 2005/06 is forecast at 2.30 million hectares,
> down 4 percent from last month and down 15 percent from last year.
> Yield is forecast at 6.74 tons per hectare, which is down 4 percent
> from last month and down 7 percent from last year. As of January 26,
> planting was 98 percent complete, compared to 99 percent complete at
> this time last year. Some area is left to be planted in Santiago del
> Estero; Avellanda, Santa Fe; and Río Cuarto, Cόrdoba. There are two
> main reasons for the overall decrease in area from last year. First,
> many producers planted less area to corn to reflect last year's
> on-farm oversupply. Secondly, dryness and severe heat during the
> tasseling stage in early January drastically affected crop
> development, thus increasing forecast harvest losses. While
> Argentina's corn yields have generally increased since the early
> 1990's, the particularly inopportune weather during the vulnerable
> stage of tasseling this year has significantly damaged the corn crop
> and reduced yield potential. *(For more information, contact Nicole
> Wagner at 202-720-0882.)*

**South American Soybeans: Yields Maintained in Argentina and Brazil,
Decreased in Paraguay**

Dryness coupled with extreme heat in early January threatened yield
potential in much of the soybean-growing regions of South America. Since
the soybean crop was in the vegetative stage in early January and above
average precipitation was received in Argentina and Brazil immediately
following the heat wave, little yield potential was lost as crop
development benefited from the significant moisture. Paraguay's crop
suffered from continued dryness that damaged the already stressed
soybean crop. Therefore, USDA has reduced its estimate of soybean
production in Paraguay to 4.5 million tons, down from last month's
estimate of 4.8 million. Harvested area in Paraguay is unchanged from
last month's estimate of 2.0 million hectares.

**China Cotton: Production in 2005/06 Revised Upward**

China's 2005/06 cotton production is estimated at 26.2 million bales
(5.7 million tons), up 1.7 million from last month, but down 2.8 million
from last year. Area is estimated at 5.1 million hectares, unchanged
from last month, but down 10 percent from a year ago. The estimated
yield of 1119 kilograms per hectare is up slightly from last year and
above the 5-year average. In January, China's National Bureau of
Statistics (NBS) announced that cotton production in 2005/06 totaled 5.7
million tons, down more than 9 percent from last year. The NBS estimate
was higher than earlier estimates by other Chinese government sources
but in line with other industry forecasts.

Cotton area in 2005/06 dropped in most provinces in response to lower
profits after the bumper 2004/05 crop and government policies that
encouraged farmers to plant more grain. The weather was favorable during
the first half of the growing season on the North China Plain, but
unusually wet and stormy weather from August to October caused
production losses and quality damage in several provinces. Below average
yields are estimated in Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan and Hubei provinces due to
excessive late-season rainfall. In contrast, Hebei and Shandong
experienced generally favorable weather and good yields. Local officials
in the northwest province of Xinjiang reported that higher area and good
weather resulted in record yield and production this year, partially
offsetting losses elsewhere. *(For more information, contact Paulette
Sandene at 202-690-0133.)*

This report uses information from the Foreign Agricultural Service's
(FAS) global network of agricultural attachés and counselors, official
statistics of foreign governments and other foreign source materials,
and the analysis of economic and satellite imagery. Estimates of foreign
area, yield, and production are from the Production Estimates and Crop
Assessment Division, FAS, and are reviewed by USDA's Inter-Agency
Commodity Estimates Committee. Estimates of U.S. area, yield, and
production are from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Numbers within the report may not add to totals because of rounding.
This report reflects official USDA estimates released in the World
Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE-431), Feb. 9, 2006.

**Printed copies are available from the National Technical Information
Service. Download an order form at
http://www.ntis.gov/products/specialty/usda/fas_a-g.asp, or call NTIS at
1-800-363-2068.**

The FAS Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division prepared this
report. The next issue of World Agricultural Production will be released
after 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, March 10, 2006.

**Conversion Table**

[Metric tons to bushels]{.underline}

> Wheat, soybeans = MT \* 36.7437
>
> Corn, sorghum, rye = MT \* 39.36825
>
> Barley = MT \* 45.929625
>
> Oats = MT \* 68.894438

[Metric tons to 480-lb bales]{.underline}

> Cotton = MT \* 4.592917

[Metric tons to hundredweight]{.underline}

> Rice = MT \* 22.04622

[Area & weight]{.underline}

> 1 hectare = 2.471044 acres
>
> 1 kilogram = 2.204622 pounds

For further information, contact:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Foreign Agricultural Service

Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division

Ag Box 1045, Room 6541, South Building

Washington, DC 20250-1045

Telephone: (202) 720-0888 Fax: (202) 720-8880

[GENERAL INFORMATION]{.underline}

Division Director Allen Vandergriff 202-720-0888
vandergriff@fas.usda.gov

Management Analyst Mary Jackson 202-720-0888 jacksonma@fas.usda.gov

Deputy Director for Analysis Paul Provance 202-720-0881
provance@fas.usda.gov

Remote Sensing Specialist Brad Doorn 202-690-0131 doorn@fas.usda.gov

Contract Representative Theresa Wright 202-720-8887 wrightt@fas.usda.gov

Imagery Archive Coordinator Bob Tetrault 202-690-0130
tetrault@fas.usda.gov

USDA Remote Sensing Advisor Glenn Bethel 202-720-1280
bethel@fas.usda.gov

Chief of Technology Services Bob Baldwin 202-720-1860
baldwin@fas.usda.gov

Image Processing Specialist Stephen Macugoski 202-720-6237
macugoski@fas.usda.gov

GIS Specialist **(Vacant)**

[COMMODITY-SPECIFIC INFORMATION]{.underline}

Grains Chairperson Michelle Greenberg 202-720-7339
greenberg@fas.usda.gov

Oilseeds Chairperson Paul Provance 202-720-0881 provance@fas.usda.gov

Rice Chairperson Teresa McKeivier 202-720-0879 teresa.mckeivier@usda.gov

Cotton Chairperson Teresa McKeivier 202-720-0879
teresa.mckeivier@usda.gov

[COUNTRY- AND REGION-SPECIFIC INFORMATION]{.underline}

Brazil, Paraguay, & Venezuela Michael Shean 202-720-7366
shean@fas.usda.gov

Canada & Argentina Nicole Wagner 202-720-0882 nicole.c.wagner@usda.gov

European Union, the Balkans, Bryan Purcell 202-690-0138
purcellb@fas.usda.gov

& North Africa

Russia, Ukraine, & Central Asia Mark Lindeman 202-690-0143
lindeman@fas.usda.gov

China, Koreas, Japan, Paulette Sandene 202-690-0133
<sandene@fas.usda.gov>

& Southeast Asia

Australia, Bangladesh, India, Jim Crutchfield 202-690-0135
crutchfield@fas.usda.gov

& Pakistan

Southern Africa & West Africa Curt Reynolds 202-690-0134
reynoldsc@fas.usda.gov

Western United States Carl Gernazio 202-690-0136 gernazio@fas.usda.gov

Eastern United States **(Vacant**)

Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, & Iraq **(Vacant)**

Mexico, Central America, **(Vacant)**

& Caribbean