Mato Grosso Wet, South Brazil Rather Dry

October 21, 2011

The  rainy season is off to good start in Mato Grosso with ample rainfall in October, but South Brazil is rather dry in Rio Grande do Sul and western Parana.  More rainfall is needed in the South to spur corn and soybean planting. 

Tropical rains have been very generous in Mato Grosso, helping soybean planting off to a good start.   This is Brazil’s largest soybean state accounting for nearly 30% of production.   Neighboring soybean states Mato Grosso do Sul and Goias also were wet.  

Timely seeding of soybeans is advantageous,  improving prospects for safrinha corn , planted as a second crop after the soybean harvest is finished in February.   

Last year, soybean planting was delayed not beginning in earnest until the end of October.   This, in turn, pushed back corn planting.  Corn was still filling grain when the monsoon ended  June-July producing a disappointing low yield.  This year, chances for a profitable yield in corn are much improved with timely soybean planting.   

Corn has become a more popular crop in recent years increasing to 8.18 million metric tons in 2009 from 2.31 MMT in 2004    Unreliable rainfall late in the growing season remains a problem, however.  Soybeans are king more than twice as abundant as corn with 18-19 million metric tons produced 2009-2010. 

South Brazil Needs Rain

Spring planting in corn and soybeans is  moving along in South Brazil but more rainfall would be welcome, particularly in Rio Grande do Sul.    Hot temperatures in October have made moisture stress worse.  

Hot weather has occurred in Parana, but much cooler than normal weather in Mato Grosso with heavy rain: