Foreign media, August 25 news: Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture released a report showing that the pace of soybean sales of Argentine farmers continued to lag the same period last year.

As of Aug. 17, Argentine farmers had pre-sold 22.39 million tonnes of 2021/22 soybeans, up 256,000 tonnes from a week earlier and down from 27.89 million tonnes a year earlier.

The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange forecasts Argentina’s soybean production to reach 43.3 million tonnes in 2021/22. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projected Argentina’s soybean production at 44 million tons in August.

Argentine farmers are reluctant to sell soybeans as hard currency against a weaker peso. Because Argentine farmers sell soybeans for peso income, the depreciation of the peso means it is more cost-effective to hold soybeans than to hold the peso.

In addition, Argentine farmers have pre-sold 1.080 million tons of soybeans for the 2022/23 season, an increase of 21,000 tons from a week ago and down from 1.628 million tons in the same period last year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture in August projected Argentina’s 2022/23 soybean production at 51 million tons.