Nov 17, 2015
Rice Planting in Rio Grande do Sul Delayed by Wet Weather
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The heavy rains have significantly slowed the rice planting in Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. Rice planting in the state is now 54.5% complete compared to the average of 81%. Additionally, some of the rice that has already been planted will have to be replanted if conditions permit. Farmers in the state are even planting at night so that they can try to catch up. The ideal planting window for rice in the state closed on November 15th, therefore half of the rice in the state will be planted outside the ideal planting window.
Some farmers in the state are concerned that the rice they have already planted will be a complete loss and that it will be too late and too costly to replant. It is possible that they may plant some of the abandoned rice acreage to soybeans instead because soybeans can be planted into December. Rice prices in the state have remained strong due to the fear of reduced production. This marks several years in arrow that rice production in the state has been negatively impacted by adverse weather.