Argentine bean crop suffers amid fourth year of drought

One of Canada’s key dry bean competitors will be less active in export markets in 2023-24. Horacio Fragola, a trader with Alicampo, told the Global Pulse Confederation (GPC) that Argentina is experiencing the fourth consecutive year of drought. There wasn’t enough rain for many farmers to plant pulses during the ideal seeding window between Feb. 15 and March 15. He estimates 40 percent of the crop was planted during that period. Those seeds didn’t get the water they needed and are unlikely to yield well. “Everything that was planted in that February-March window suffered a lack of water, and everything seeded later is running the risk of frosts when the harvest comes,” Fragola told GPC. About 30 percent of the crop was planted in the last 15 days of March and the final 30 percent was planted during the first 15 days of April. He said those plants appear to be in good shape, but many will be harvested in June and July, which is the middle of winter in Argentina and carries a high ...