Soybean planting in Brazil is 89% complete, according to Curitiba consultancy AgRural. That’s well ahead of last year at 84% and the five-year average of 78%.

Considering the current planting pace, soybean harvest could start as early as the second half of December in the South American country – the earliest ever. Typically, soybeans are harvested in January at the earliest.

This would allow a larger second corn crop and cotton production, which are planted right after soy is harvest. In the state of Mato Grosso, most agronomists and experts expect that by the first week in January, nearly 5% of soybeans will be harvested.

The quick planting is attributed to frequent rains in Mato Grosso, the largest producer of the oilseed in the country. Rodrigo Rigon, a manager who monitors nearly 320,000 acres in the region of Rondonopolis, says the rains will boost yields. “Our expectation is to harvest roughly 55 bushels per acres (or 63 bags of 60 kg per hectare),” he told Agriculture.com.

In the state of Paraná, the second-largest soybean producer, the expectation is not much different from Mato Grosso. Planting is 95% complete and harvest is expected to start in December.

The latest estimate of the National Supply Company (Conab) puts the Brazilian production at 119 million metric tons. Private consultancy Safras & Mercado projects a production of 122.2 million metric tons in the current season, which has increased from a previous estimate of 121 million metric tons.

“The weather needs to continue to help us have a new production record,” said Safras & Mercado analyst Fernando Roque.


agriculture.com