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Yield stability and price are the two variables that explain why sunflower has once again gained ground in the southeast of Buenos Aires. So reflects Diego Casais, a producer in the Lobería area who works on his own and rented fields (in an associated planting scheme) works around 5,000 hectares. Five years ago, the area intended for cultivation did not even reach 10%. Today 40% of the area is allocated to sunflower.

"Taking 3000 kilos of sunflower is relatively achievable in the region," explains Casais. “In recent times, sunflower has had bonuses that help a lot to raise the price of the crop. In particular this year we sold almost the total production in advance, which was very beneficial because we obtained very good values, "he adds.

Another of the great advantages of cultivation is the speed with which the return on investment is obtained. Only six months elapse from sowing in October to harvest in February or March.

The last sunflower campaign passed without great problems for "Agropecuaria Casais", with yields reaching 2700 kilos on average in almost 2000 hectares planted. As for the choice of hybrids, the producer bet almost exclusively on the Nidera Aromo 105 CL, of which more than 1,300 hectares were planted. However, the great surprise came from the 106 CL HO Paraíso, of which around 300 hectares were planted and achieved a yield of 3,200 kilos in a field located 50 kilometers north of Lobería, almost bordering Balcarce.

I think we got the late sowing date right in the first days of November, ”confesses the producer, thus capturing an adequate flow of rain. Regarding management, the density was 55,000 plants / ha. Fallow, “first a pre-emergent of Flurochloridone and Acetochlor was applied. Then a dose of Clearsol in the initial stage of the culture. And really, the health that the crop presented was very good ”, she is sincere.

“Last year the Baguette 802 was the wheat that yielded us the most. We made around 600 or 700 hectares, but for this year we are going to increase the area a little more, ”confesses the producer, who plans to plant at least 1800 hectares with that variety in a planting plan that covers a total of 2,500 hectares.

Long cycle and with cold requirements, the Baguette 802 obtains a very high response in good environments such as those found in the southeastern parts of Buenos Aires. “Due to rainfall and temperature, we obtained better results in plantings in mid-June. At early planting dates, we achieved an average yield of 5,500 kilos per hectare, but in a particular field where we sowed a little later we have even reached 6,000 kilos, ”he says proudly.

More than ten years ago, Diego Casais took charge of the family business, once he received an agricultural engineer degree from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Mar del Plata. Diego succeeded his father, Aldo Casais, the founder of the company, who had started 30 years ago as a rural contractor. "At the same time, and with a lot of effort, my old man was always planting a little field and that's how we grew," he reveals.

The great productive leap for “Agropecuaria Casais” took place four years ago, when they began their partnership with the Los Grobo Group. "The associated sowing helped us grow a lot on the surface and give a little more work and added value to all the iron we have," he says. The machinery team includes six seeders, four harvesters, a sprayer and a fleet of trucks, with which they also provide some services. But Casais is not satisfied and the intention for the future is to continue growing on the basis of leased fields. clarin.com

Automatic translation from spanish.