BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s central and eastern farming regions are set for a week of abundant rains with the risk of storms, hail and strong winds in the coming

days, the Buenos Aires grains exchange said on Wednesday in its weekly weather outlook.

The South American country, the world’s top exporter of processed soy and the second-largest exporter of corn, is set to start its 2021/22 soybean harvest and is at the early stages of the corn harvest after both crops were hit by drought earlier in the year.

“The passage of a vigorous storm front will occur, producing moderate to abundant rainfall, with large pockets of storms and the risk of severe storms, with hail and winds, over the center and east of the farming area,” the exchange said.

“Meanwhile, the west will receive moderate to scant amounts.” The exchange estimates the soy harvest at 42 million tonnes and the one for corn at 51 million tonnes, after sharply cutting its outlook for both earlier in the year due to the drought.

Global grains prices are soaring due to supply concerns linked to the war in Ukraine, an important grains producer.