South America Calling

Brazil Soy Planting Still Sluggish

Rains returned to most of the Brazilian soybean belt last week, but they were too sparse and scattered and planting moved forward slowly, according to AgRural, a local farm consultancy.

Planting was 16% complete as of Friday, six percentage points ahead of the week before but well back from the 34% planted at the same stage last year, said the consultancy.

While the precipitation was welcome in the Center-West region, it was irregularly distributed and many farmers are choosing to wait for further showers before resuming field work.

Planting in Mato Grosso, the No. 1 soybean planting state in the Center-West, was 19% complete, compared with 11% last week and 53% at the same stage last year.

Rains were even more limited in neighboring Goias, where 6% of the crop was planted as of Friday, up from 3% last week and significantly back from 38% last year.

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A dry October has put Center-West planting a month behind schedule, which will limit the window to plant a second crop of corn afterward.

Many farmers say a portion of their crop sown earlier in the month will have to be replanted.

The return of rains across the southern grain belt allowed farmers to catch up with planting that stalled the week before because of hot weather.

Parana had planted 44% of their crop as of Friday, up from 33% last week and 50% at the same time last year.

In the southeast, Sao Paulo was 7% complete, up from 5% last year but well behind the 25% last year.

Brazilian farmers in the Center-West now really need rain if they are going to plant their soybeans in the ideal window.

Luckily, forecasts indicate ample precipitation over the next two weeks across central Brazil.

Rainfall of between 30 millimeters and 70 mm (1.2 to 2.8 inches) is expected in each of the next two weeks across Mato Grosso, Goias and Mato Grosso do Sul, according to Somar, a local weather service.

Alastair Stewart can be reached at alastair.stewart@dtn.com

(AG)

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