Nov 12, 2019
Brazil's Soybeans 58% Planted compared to 57% Average
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The 2019/20 Brazilian soybean crop is 58% planted compared to 71% last year and 57% average. This represents an advance of 12% for the week. The fastest planting continues to be in the state of Mato Grosso with some of the slowest planting in south-central Brazil and in northeastern Brazil.
Some of the driest areas of southern Brazil were the states of Parana and Mato Grosso do Sul, but both of those states received 1-2 inches of rain over the weekend. The area of driest concern now is eastern and northeastern Brazil. The weather in Brazil last week was generally OK, but the rainfall was still not what it should be for this time of the year. Rainfall amounts were variable and coverage was less than ideal, but the dryer areas of Brazil did receive some rain last week.
There is more rain in the forecast for this week and next week, but some meteorologists in Brazil are already talking about the possibility of dryer than normal conditions during the month of December in southern Brazil. If that were to occur, it would be a repeat of last year when it was very dry in Parana between late November and early January, which coincided with soybean pod filling.
Mato Grosso - According to the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea), farmers in the state have planted 91.5% of their 2019/20 soybeans compared to 96.2% last year and 83% average. The area that is still lagging is northeastern Mato Grosso where the soybeans are 73% planted.
Parana - The Department of Rural Economics (Deral) reported that as of earlier last week, the soybeans were 79% planted with 33% germinating, 66% in vegetative development, and 1% flowering. The soybeans in Parana were rated 4% poor, 23% average, and 73% good.
Rio Grande do Sul - Soybean planting in Rio Grande do Sul only made a small advance last week due to wet weather across the state.
Good planting progress was made in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Goias, Minas Gerais, and Sao Paulo. Soybean planting remains slow in northeastern Brazil due to ongoing dryness
Abiove's 2019/20 Brazilian Soybean Estimate - The Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (Abiove) last Friday estimated the 2019/20 Brazilian soybean production at 122.8 million tons, which represents a 4.2% increase compared to last year. If verified, it would be the second largest soybean crop in Brazil behind the 123.08 million tons produced in 2017/18.
Abiove estimated Brazilian soybean exports in 2020 at 75.0 million tons compared to 72.0 million tons in 2019 and a record 83.2 million tons in 2018. They expect Brazil to process 44 million tons of soybeans in 2020 compared to 42.9 million in 2019. The increased processing in 2020 is in part associated with an increase in the percentage of vegetable oils and animal fats used to make biodiesel, which will increase to 12% in March of 2020.