Jan 26, 2010
Rain, Lack Of Sun, And Muddy Roads Are Some Of The Problems Faced By Brazilian Farmers
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The state of Sao Paulo is a minor producer of soybeans in Brazil, but the soybean farmers in the state have the same concerns as farmers in the larger producing states. They are concerned about the heavy rains and the lack of sunshine during January and how it might affect their soybean crop. In parts of the state of Sao Paulo rainfall has occurred on eighteen of the first twenty days of January and there has been constant cloud cover for the last ten days.
The excessive rainfall has resulted in a soybean crop in Sao Paulo that is taller than normal and has more vegetative mass than normal, but that does not necessarily mean that the yields will be greater than normal. In the major production areas of Sao Paulo, agronomist are expecting average soybean yields at best and lower than average yields if the heavy rains persist.
In southwestern Goias where many of the rural roads are dirt, the heavy rains have left many of these roads impassable. Farmers are concerned that they cannot harvest their early-maturing soybeans until the roads dry out enough for truck traffic. Hog producers are complaining that the trucks from the feed mills can't make it to their hog operations due to the poor quality of the roads.
Heavy rains also caused problems in southern Mato Grosso do Sul where washed out highways and bridges have isolated various communities. Forty percent of the roads in the municipality of Jatei in southern Mato Grosso do Sul have been severely affected by the rains.
What is occurring in Goias with the impassable roads is one of the reasons why soybean farmers in central Brazil limit the amount of early-maturing soybeans they plant on their farm. Most farmers do not have adequate on farm storage so they must rely on trucks during harvest to transport their soybeans to the co-op or the grain elevator. If the trucks can't move then the combines can't harvest. The longer mature soybeans sit in the field without being harvested, the greater the chance for seed deterioration and yield loss. Therefore, most Brazilian farmers only plant a limited amount of early-maturing soybeans preferring to spread out their risk by planting later maturing soybeans that mature when there is less chance of persistent heavy rains.