South America Calling

Brazilian soybean harvest efforts continued to move forward, reaching 3% complete as of Friday, AgRural, a local farm consultancy, said Monday.

The harvest is slightly ahead of last year when 2% of the crop had been collected at this point, it said.

While concerns remain about hot, dry conditions in some areas and growing pest populations in others, the crop remains in generally excellent condition, it added.

Despite some heavy rains over the last week, the soybean harvest continues ahead of schedule in Mato Grosso, Brazil's No. 1 producing state. Farmers had collected 7% of the crop as of Friday compared with 6% one year before. Reports of good yields continue to roll in from across the state. For example, Nova Mutum is registering average productivity of 47 bushels per acre, while Primavera do Leste is posting averages of 52 bpa, said AgRural.

In contrast, farmers in the southern state of Parana, the No. 2 soy state, took advantage of a dry week to forge ahead with the harvesting of short-cycle soybeans. As a result, soybean harvesting was 2% complete as of Friday with work most advanced in the west of the state (6%), it said. Yields vary greatly across the state. In the extreme west, which was hit by drought in December, average yields are around 36 bpa, while in the central western zone, yields of up to 59 bpa have been registered.

Extremely hot, dry weather last week in the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul raised concerns about soybeans there, although soil moisture levels remain adequate in most of the principal producing region and the crop still looks healthy, AgRural said.

Heavy rainfall last week nourished soybeans in southeastern Goias, which had been suffering from a lack of moisture. As a whole, the state has harvested 3% of soybeans and early yields are good.

Light rains will return to many southern producing regions over the next week, which will be positive for the crop after some drier weather. However, substantial rains in Mato Grosso may impede harvest efforts this week, according to Somar Meteorologia, a local weather service.

(AG)

© Copyright 2014 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.