Brazilian soybean plantings hit ‘fastest in history’ at 20%: AgRural

Adequate humidity in Brazil’s Mato Grosso and Parana states has accelerated soybean plantings to the “fastest in history”, to be 20% complete by Thursday October 11, Brazil-based consultants AgRural said.

That is twice the average pace seen over the past five seasons. 

This year’s progress to date beats the 2016 record when 18% of the estimated planted acreage was sown and leads last year’s efforts by eight percentage points.

Sparse rain showers in Mato Grosso, Brazil’s largest producing state, have guaranteed adequate humidity and accelerated plantings in most of the state, with 34% of the plantings complete, a week-on-week increase of 20 percentage points and beating the 2016 record of 31%.

This time last year 18% of Mato Grosso's plantings were complete, while the five-year average for the state stands at 14%.

Further south in Parana, plantings in Brazil’s second largest producing state topped 40% complete as sturdy progress in the north partially compensated for the slow progress in the west caused by frequent rains, AgRural said.

The state’s progress compares to 30% completed last year and a five-year average of 29%.

However, rainfall in Mato Grosso do Sul's southern regions halted additional plantings at 26% but the state's progress remains ahead of both last year's progress 14% and the five-year average of 15%.

Elsewhere, plantings reached 30% in Sao Paulo, 13% in Goias, 6% in Santa Catarina, 2% in Minas Gerais, 0.6% in Para and 25% in Rondonia.

Early soybean plantings should translate into a timely harvest early 2019, freeing up more acreage for farmers to plant Brazil’s second and larger corn crop during the ideal planting window, according to the USDA.

Brazil’s summer corn

Plantings of Brazil’s first corn crop hit 44% in the nation’s Centre South region, up 6% on the week and ahead of the 37% done at this stage last year and the five-year average of 38%.

Santa Catarina leads efforts at 91% finished, followed by Rio Grande do Sul and Parana, each at 84%, and Sao Paulo at 21%.