Nov 25, 2009
Rio Grande do Sul Continues To Suffer From Heavy Rains
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The farmers in Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil are wondering if the rain will ever end. With still a week to go before the end of the month, many locations in the state have already seen double the normal amount of rainfall for the month of November. Local authorities have already declared a state of emergency in 40 municipalities. Across the state, 15,000 houses have been damaged, 8,500 people have been forced from their homes due to damaged homes or rising river waters and eight people have died as a result of the storms. The hardest hit areas of the state are in the western (rice producing region) and northwestern (soybean producing region) parts of the state. Civil defense officials have already distributed 15 tons of rice, thousands of basic food baskets, clean up kits, and temporary building materials such as plastic covers for damaged roofs.
The agriculture across the entire state has been affected. The state of Rio Grande do Sul accounts for approximately 17% of the soybean acreage planted in Brazil. Normally by this time of the year, more than half of the soybeans would have been planted, but planting this year is running well behind the normal pace. If the soybeans had already been planted before the heavy rains started several weeks ago, then the crop is well established and it is doing OK. The soybean crop that is being affected the most is the double crop soybeans planted after wheat. These soybeans are planted after the winter wheat is harvested, but the rains have also slowed down the wheat harvest. Double crop soybeans can be planted in Rio Grande do Sul into December, but the later the crop is planted, the lower the yield potential for the crop. The corn crop in the state is actually benefiting from the moisture. The corn had already been planted before the recent heavy rains started so the crop is taking advantage of the moisture for vegetative development.
The constant wet weather and heavy storms are causing problems for other crops as well in the state. Planting of the rice crop in the state is also being delayed and yield estimates of the rice crop are already being lowered. The state is responsible for producing 51% of Brazil peaches and the peach harvest has already begun and the concern is that diseases could move into the unpicked fruit. The state also produces the majority of Brazil's grapes. After excellent winter weather for growing grapes the concern now is that diseases could impact the crop before it is harvested.
Everyone in the state is hoping for dryer weather, but unfortunately more rain is in the forecast.