Dec 11, 2009
Soybean Harvest In Mato Grosso Will Begin In Two Weeks
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The soybean crop in Mato Grosso was planted about two weeks earlier than normal this year and as a result, the soybean harvest will begin about two weeks early as well. The first combines in Mato Grosso will start the harvest is about two weeks. Usually, the soybean harvest in Mato Grosso begins in early January, but this year, the first soybeans will be harvested at about Christmas.
The early maturing soybeans will be harvested first, but not all the soybeans in the state are early maturing. Statewide, approximately 30% of the soybeans are early maturing, 45% are medium maturing, and 25% are late maturing. Farmers plant different maturing soybeans so that they can spread out their risks. The advantage of early maturing soybeans is that the farmer can take advantage of a premium in the market. The soybean processors are willing to pay a premium for the early soybeans so they can get their plants up and running. The disadvantage of early maturing soybeans is that they yield a little less than the later maturing soybeans and there is a risk of not being able to harvest the crop in a timely fashion because they are maturing during the peak of the rainy season. It is not uncommon for these early soybeans to suffer yield losses due to heavy rainfall at harvest time.
The producers in Mato Grosso are prepared to apply 2.5 applications of fungicides this year to combat soybean rust. But, since the disease started earlier than normal this year, the farmers may have to increase the number of applications. During the 2008-09 growing season, seven cases of rust were reported by the end of December. Thus far this season, nine cases of the disease have already been reported in the state. Additionally, the harvest process itself actually helps to disperse the rust spores to nearby fields. If the weather remains conducive for rust development, two additional applications of fungicide may be necessary this growing season to control the rust especially on the later maturing soybeans.
If the farmers need to increase the number of fungicide applications, it will increase their cost of production of course. It is estimated that a typical soybean field in Mato Grosso will cost US$ 350 per acre to produce a yield of 45 bushels per acre. If two additional fungicide applications are required, the cost of production would increase about 5%, or an additional US$ 18 per acre.