Corn Acreage in South America: Stable in Brazil, Sharp Decline in Argentina [Video]

By Joana Colussi, Nick Paulson, and Gary Schnitkey

Corn production in South America’s two major agricultural countries is expected to follow two distinct paths during the 2024/25 crop season. In Brazil, planted acreage is projected to remain steady, but exports are likely to drop significantly due to intensified competition in the international market. In contrast, Argentina anticipates the largest relative decrease in corn acreage in 17 years, driven by concerns over the potential impact of corn stunt disease, which severely affected fields last season. Nonetheless, Argentine corn exports are projected to reach their highest levels since the 2020/21 season. This article examines the latest forecasts for 2024/25 corn production in Brazil and Argentina, which together account for roughly 40% of global corn exports.

The Brazilian food agency, National Supply Company (Conab), has increased its estimate for the country’s total corn crop in the 2024/25 season to 4,717 million bushels. This forecast represents a 3.6% increase compared to last …