Argentine farmers are planning a fresh round of protests against government farm policy, but have decided against an extension of a week-long strike which has crippled cattle and grain sales.

The announcement came as the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange warned that dry weather might prompt a cut in corn plantings even steeper than the 19% drop it forecast last week.

Mario Llambias, president of  Argentine Rural Confederations, said that while the strike will end on Friday, as previously planned, farmers will "keep up protests by marching in different provinces to show that farmers are worried about the consequences of these failed policies".

The strike has been organised against what farmers view as anti-agricultural policies, including a 35% levy on exports of soybeans, of which Argentina is the world's third-biggest exporter, after America and Brazil.

President Cristina Fernandez also stoked tensions last week by vetoing benefits, which had been passed by Argentina's Congress, to drought-afflicted farmers.

'Lack of moisture'

In a separate announcement, Buenos Aires Stock Exchange said that its estimate of Argentine corn plantings of 2.0m hectares for 2009-10 was under threat from lingering drought.

"With the ideal date for corn sowing nearing in the main corn belt... there could be another cut in the estimated area if the lack of moisture continues," the exchange said in weekly report.

Corn plantings last year totalled 2.46m hectares.