URUGUAY (18 September)
Planting of the 2003/04 wheat crop continues. Total plantings are officially forecast at about 113 000 hectares, which compares to the 137 000 hectares planted in 2002/03. The harvest is due to start in late October. Official forecasts indicate that some 120 000 hectares of barley will also be planted in 2003/04, compared to 103 000 hectares sown the year before. Planting of the 2003/04 maize crop is about to start, and intended plantings are tentatively forecast at about 50 000 hectares, close to last year’s level. Planting of the important 2003/04 paddy crop is due to start in October, and early forecasts of intended plantings show about 150 000 to 160 000 hectares, close to the 2002/03 level of plantings.