South America Calling

The harvest of Paraguay's 2013-14 soybean harvest has begun with good yields registered so far.

The world's No. 5 producer will produce around 9 million metric tons of soybeans, up slightly from last year, according to the Paraguay Farm Coordination Group (CAP).

While conditions have been generally excellent, mirroring the situation in much of neighboring Brazil, there is a question mark over crops in the west after several weeks of hot, dry weather, said Hector Cristaldo, CAP's president.

In the region of San Pedro, the dryness has stressed early-planted soybean and caused harvesting to be brought forward, although later-planted beans continue to be in good shape.

The situation will become clearer in 20 days when Paraguay reaches the peak of its harvest, said CAP.

"In February, the harvest will have finished and we will know if the irregular rains greatly damaged the crop," it said in a statement.

(AG)

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