South America Calling

Soybean planting progressed modestly in parts of Brazil's southern grain belt this week and remains behind schedule, state agronomists reported.

Parana, Brazil's No.2 producing state, saw planting move forward nine percentage points to 47% complete as of Thursday, according to the agricultural department in the southern state. But that compares unfavorably with the same point last year when some 58% of the crop had been planted.

The principle impediment to planting is dry weather in the north of the state. However, showers are forecast for the region in the next few days.

With half the crop in the ground, Parana's soybeans are developing well. State agronomists estimate 96% of the crop is in good condition. As a result, the state slightly raised its soybean production forecast to 17.2 million metric tons, 4% higher than last year.

The delay in soybean planting will not significantly impact yields, which the state estimates will average at 51 bushels per acre.

Soybean planting has also started slowly in Rio Grande do Sul, the No. 3 producer. Planting had only reached 1% as of Thursday compared with 10% at the same point last year, according to the agricultural department of the southernmost state.

Different to Parana, the delays are due to excessive rainfall in the middle of October, which made it hard to get into the fields. Weather forecasts indicate further heavy rains in the state Friday but the current wet conditions will not likely harm crop potential, said state agronomists.

All eyes will be on planting progress figures for Mato Grosso, the No. 1 soy state in the Center-West, due to be released by the Mato Grosso Agricultural Economy Institute (IMEA) this afternoon.

Planting there has been delayed a month by the late arrival of spring rains but showers have finally fallen over the last ten days and fieldwork is expected to have progressed rapidly.

Farmers have invested heavily in machinery in recent years and can now plant very quickly and most expect planting will be largely completed in Mato Grosso in 15 days' time. While the window for planting soybeans with good yields remains open till mid-November in Mato Grosso, growers are in a rush to plant soybeans so that they subsequently have time to plant second-crop soybeans in the best conditions in February.

(AG)

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