Aug 20, 2020
Meteorologists Predicting Dry Start to Planting in Brazil
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
With less than month to go before farmers in much of Brazil are allowed to start planting their 2020/21 soybean crop, meteorologists in Brazil are forecasting the potential for irregular rains to start off the growing season, especially in central Brazil.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) increased their probability of a La Nina developing over the next few months, which could impact spring planting conditions in South America. For Brazil, a La Nina can result in drought in some regions of Brazil and excess rainfall in other regions. The Brazilian National Weather Service (Inmet) if forecasting that the first summer rains will start at about the normal time, but that it will take longer than average for the rains to normalize.
Inmet is forecasting below normal rainfall during August-September-October for the center-west region of Brazil with the exception of southern Mato Gross do Sul where the rains should be better. They are forecasting that the rains will not normalize in the center-west region until November.
In southern Brazil, Inmet is forecasting that the rainfall during the remainder of August should be OK, but the rainfall during September and October should be below average.
Farmers in southern Brazil are allowed to start planting their 2020/21 corn any time they feel the conditions are suitable. Some farmers in Rio Grande do Sul have already started planting their corn and farmers in Parana should also start planting corn before the end of August. Soybean planting can start on September 11th in Parana and September 16th in Mato Grosso.