Jun 10, 2021
Early Safrinha Corn Yields are Highly Variable in Mato Grosso
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The early safrinha corn harvest has started in the municipality of Nova Mutum in south-central Mato Grosso and farmers are reporting a wide variability in yields. Corn yields are being reported in the range of 68 to 150 sacks per hectare (64.8 to 143.1 bu/ac).
According to the President of the Rural Syndicate of Nova Mutum the combination of late planting and irregular rainfall is the cause of the variability. He had originally anticipated a 15% yield reduction compared to last year, but he now estimates that the reduction may be as high as 20%.
The corn harvest will extend this year into August, which could cause two potential problems for the farmers. The first potential problem is the heightened risk of fires during the peak of the dry season. The risk comes from combine fires and fires that could move into a corn field from adjacent areas. Every year, there are reports of fires in mature corn fields and there may be more this year due to the harvest being extended a month or more compared to average.
The second concern is the short period of time between the end of the corn harvest and the planting of the 2021/22 soybean crop. The delayed harvest means less time for tillage work and soil management practices before soybean planting is allowed starting September 15th.