Sep 19, 2013
Parana Farmers Start Planting After Soybean-Free Period Ends
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The number of cases of live soybean plants found in the state of Parana during the 90-day soybean free period between June 15 and September 15 of this year declined to just 78 violations. Most of the instances involved volunteer soybeans that germinated from seed that spilled onto the ground either during harvesting or transporting the crop. During the same period in 2012 there were 130 violations.
The state Department of Plant and Livestock Sanitization (Adapar) reported that the 78 cases represented 1,300 hectares of live soybean plants. Most of the larger acreages involved farmers who planted a second safrinha crop of soybeans but they failed to accurately calculate when the crop would be mature enough to harvest, thus passing the June 15 deadline for having live soybean plants in their field.
The fines for violating the soybean free period varied from R$ 220 to R$ 12,000 (approximately US$ 100 to US$ 5,500). The smaller fines were issued to farmers or property owners who did not destroy all the volunteer soybeans that may have germinated along the edge of the field or along the roadways bordering the fields. The larger fines were levied for soybeans not harvested before the June 15 deadline.
The 90-day soybean free period has now ended in Parana and farmers can start to plant their 2013/14 soybeans when they feel conditions are favorable for germination and stand establishment. The first fields of soybeans are expected to be planted in Parana sometime this week.
Farmers in the state have already started to plant their 2013/14 full-season corn crop with approximately 17% of the corn in the ground, which is slightly ahead of last year'Ps planting pace.