Oct 31, 2009
Soybean Planting In Mato Grosso Ahead Of Schedule, Dryer Weather Encourages Quicker Planting Pace In Parana
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
If farmers in Mato Grosso want to plant a second crop of corn (called the safrinha) during the month of February, they need to plant their first crop of soybeans generally by the middle of November. That goal certainly seems within reach this year in Mato Grosso because farmers in the state started planting their soybeans earlier than normal and the weather has been cooperating for continued rapid planting.
The planting progress has been so good that in central Mato Grosso, many farmers will be finished planting their soybeans within the next week or two. Statewide, soybean planting has already surpassed the half way mark. Conab is estimating that Mato Grosso farmers will increase their soybean acreage 3-4% to approximately 6.0 million hectares (15 million acres), which would represent about 27% of Brazil's total soybean acreage.
Usually, farmers in the state choose to plant corn for their second crop, but there may be more interest in planting cotton as a second crop this growing season. Domestic corn prices in Mato Grosso are very low and many of the silos at the co-ops are still full of last year's safrinha corn crop. The Brazilian government has been trying to auction off these excess corn supplies, but it's been slow going. If the government manages to clear out the excess corn and the domestic prices show signs of recovery, then farmers will be encouraged to plant a second crop of corn, if not, then cotton is an option. Using cotton as the second crop has been gaining in popularity in recent years due to the increased use of early maturing soybeans and the introduction of shorter maturing cotton. If these new cotton varieties can be planted during January, then they can complete their growth cycle before the onset of the dry season.
Dry weather returns to Parana
After several weeks of nearly constant rain in the state of Parana, dryer weather returned this week and farmers in the state are making the most of the improved planting conditions. In northern Parana, soybean planting was running about half of last year's pace (20-30% planted compared to 40-50% last year) until this week, but farmers are expected to catch up quickly due to dryer conditions. According to the state's extension service, soybean planting progress in the state varies between 20-60%, but planting is now expected to advance rapidly. On the plus side, the soil moisture in the state has been completely recharged after a very dry 2008-09 growing season.
Parana is the second leading soybean producing state in Brazil after Mato Grosso. Conab is estimating that the soybean acreage in the state will be approximately 4.3 million hectares (10.7 million acres), which is approximately 20% of Brazil's total soybean acreage. Farmers in the state are expected to plant 7% more soybeans than in 2008-09. With good weather, the 2009-10 Parana soybean crop could be more than 30% larger than last year's drought affected crop.