South America Calling

Brazilian soybean planting advanced five percentage points over the past week to reach 94% complete as of Friday, AgRural, a local farm consultancy said.

Fieldwork is now virtually complete in the top-producing center-west and southern regions with the northeastern state of Piaui the only area with a significant area still to plant at 50%, it said.

Overall, the crop continues to develop well and has the potential to produce high yields, with dryness concerns limited to a couple of regions -- most notably northern Parana and Piaui, said the consultancy.

In the center-west, rains supplemented soil moisture levels across the whole of Mato Grosso, the No. 1 soy state, last week, correcting some of the dryness in the south of the state. On the negative side, humid conditions in the north of Mato Grosso are raising concerns about the aggressive development of the Asian rust fungus, which has already been identified on numerous farms.

In neighboring Mato Grosso do Sul, rains have been patchy in December but the crop still looks good, said AgRural.

In Parana, the No. 2 soybean-producing state in the south, the crop is also in generally good shape, although some of the northern reaches could do with more rain, particularly around Cornelio Procopio. In the west of the state, soybean plants are already closing out rows and looking healthy. This region only needs a couple more days of decent precipitation and a good crop is guaranteed, said AgRural.

In Rio Grande do Sul, the No. 3 soybean-producing state in the far south, planting moved forward 16 percentage points over the last week to reach 90% complete following substantial showers.

According to Somar Meteorologia, a local weather service, the forecast for the next two weeks is for heavy spring showers in the center-west but sparser precipitation across the southern grain belt.

(AG)

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