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The 2025/26 corn season continues to post historic results in the core region. With 90% of the early corn harvest already completed, production estimates were revised upward once again and now point to a total output of 20.35 million tonnes (Mt), setting a new record for the region.
The volume far exceeds the 15.5 Mt projected at the start of planting and represents a 35% increase over the previous all-time high recorded in the 2019/20 season.
According to the survey, the regional average yield now stands at 11 t/ha. The season unfolded under challenging weather conditions, particularly following the interruption of rainfall from December 24 onward, right in the middle of the critical period for early corn.
Even so, the results obtained during the harvest far exceeded initial expectations.
A historic season for corn
The core region planted 2.3 million hectares of corn, the largest sown area in the past 17 years. Even after taking into account some 440,000 hectares that will not be destined for commercial grain production, final output will still reach record levels.
The report highlights that the volume obtained is practically equivalent to “two harvests combined” compared with the average production of the past 17 years.
The highest yields continue to be recorded in southern Santa Fe and northwestern Buenos Aires Province
The remaining fields yet to be harvested are concentrated mainly in the southern tip of Santa Fe and northwestern Buenos Aires, areas that achieved a faster recovery in soil moisture following the summer drought.
In Junín, the early corn harvest is showing average yields of up to 13.5 t/ha. South-central Santa Fe continues to post averages close to 11.7 t/ha, while yields in the far south of the province are hovering around 11.5 t/ha.
In southeastern Córdoba Province, particularly in areas such as Monte Buey and Corral de Bustos, the fields hardest hit by the drought are averaging around 11 t/ha, although the best-performing areas are reaching between 13.5 and 14 t/ha.
The areas hardest hit by the drought
The situation was different in parts of southeastern Santa Fe and northeastern Buenos Aires Province, the regions most severely affected by the lack of rainfall during the summer.
There, average yields fell to 7.8 t/ha and 9.1 t/ha, respectively. Around Rosario, reported yields ranged between 7 and 8 t/ha, while in Pergamino average yields stood at around 9.5 t/ha.
Positive outlook for late corn
Although the entire late and second-crop corn harvest still remains to be harvested, production prospects continue to look favorable across several regions.
In northwestern Buenos Aires Province, producers note that late corn was virtually unaffected by heat stress or water deficit, with yields expected to come in close to 10 t/ha.
In Pergamino, late corn yields are estimated at 9.5 t/ha and second-crop corn at between 6 and 7 t/ha. In Marcos Juárez, projections are also hovering around 9.5 t/ha, while in Bigand expected yields range between 5 and 7 t/ha.
Soybean harvest enters its final stage
The soybean harvest is also moving toward its conclusion. Currently, 90% of the total area has already been harvested, with weekly progress of 8% in first-crop soybeans and 25% in second-crop soybeans.
So far, close to 4 million hectares have been harvested, with around 300,000 hectares still left, mainly in parts of northern Buenos Aires Province where excess moisture continues to create field access problems.
Despite the weather-related difficulties recorded between January and February, production results continue to be positive. First-crop soybeans are maintaining largely stable yields of between 4 and 5.5 t/ha, while second-crop soybeans have shown greater variability, although results in several areas of northwestern Buenos Aires have exceeded expectations, with average yields approaching 3.5 t/ha.
May 14, 2026/ Rosario Stock Exchange/ Argentina.
https://www.bcr.com.ar/
