Argentina stands out among LatinAmerica's relatively high level of agriculture, a diverse structure of agricultural production and a rather small share in the value of GDP (12%). Argentina's agriculture almost completely meets its own food needs, but also is one of its leading exporter. Agricultural lands occupy 138 million hectares in the country, but only a fifth of them are processed. The remaining areas are meadows and pastures.
Long-term cultivation of the same crops onthe same land led to the fact that the productivity of soils is declining, the condition of pastures is deteriorating and erosion is developing - the most disastrous phenomenon for the soil. In some areas of Argentina erosion has already developed so much that part of the land is simply withdrawn from agricultural traffic. Such phenomena lead to a mass outflow from these areas of the agricultural population. The main characteristic of the country's agriculture is the specialization in the commodity production of grain and meat. This has developed both under the influence of the external market, and in accordance with the natural environment that created all the prerequisites for the development of these industries.
Leading role in the country's agriculture playsanimal husbandry. Its main branch is the breeding and cultivation of cattle, mainly meat direction. Argentina occupies one of the first places in the world in terms of the number of cattle. For the cultivation of cattle, the main area is Pampa. The natural pastures of the Pampas create an excellent forage reserve for it. Due to the mild and humid climate, the grasses on the local pastures are characterized by a high content of essential nutrients. Also in this area are concentrated and the main crops of forage grasses, the main of which is lucerne.
Labor productivity in agricultureArgentina is low, especially in dairy production. Therefore, dairy farming does not play a big role here. Several areas of dairy farming have developed only around Buenos Aires and in the south of the province of Santa Fe, as there are good and juicy feeds growing here. Argentina's agriculture also specializes in sheep farming, which is the second major industry. This is one of the leading sheep-breeding countries in the sheep population, and on wool cutting Argentina is second only to Australia and New Zealand. Sheep breeding is widespread almost everywhere, but its specialized areas are concentrated in Pampa and Patagonia.
Agriculture of Argentina also allocatesa significant role and crop production. The main place here is occupied by traditional old crops for export - grains and oilseeds. Of the crops, wheat is the main place, although its exports are much inferior to Argentina, such as the US, Canada, Australia and France. In general, wheat is cultivated in the same Pampa, and outside it is less common. Unlike wheat, which the Spaniards brought to this country, corn is a local crop and it is grown here almost everywhere.
Argentina's agriculture grows cornand as a food crop and as fodder corn. Great importance in the country also has the cultivation of other grain crops: oats, barley and rye. Thanks to all this, Argentina is a major exporter of feed grain. After the crops, the second place in the cost of production is the technical crops. Among these crops oilseeds - sunflower and flax are very prominent. As for the export of these crops, Argentina occupies the most advanced places in the world.
