Oct 23, 2019
2019/20 Soybean Planting in Mato Grosso do Sul slowest in 5 Years
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Dry weather continues to hinder the 2019/20 soybean planting in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul in the center-west region of Brazil. According to information from the Corn and Soybean Producers Association of Mato Grosso do Sul (Aprosoja/MS), farmers in the state have planted 12.5% of their 2019/20 soybeans compared to last year when 40% of the soybeans had been planted by this date. The current soybean planting pace in the state is the slowest in the last five years.
Potential soybean yields in the state could still be good if the weather during the remaining of the growing season cooperates. In fact, Aprosoja/MS is expecting the 2019/20 statewide soybean yield to be 52 sacks per hectare (46.1 bu/ac), which would be an improvement compared to the 48 sacks per hectare (42.6 bu/ac) recorded last year. The 2018/19 crop was negatively impacted by dry weather from late November until early January, which coincided with the important pod filling period.
The bigger concern is for farmers who intended to plant a second crop of corn after the soybeans. Generally, the soybeans in the state are planted during September and October in order to have enough time to plant the safrinha corn during January and February. With the delay in soybean planting, the planting window for the safrinha corn is now restricted to the end of February up to March 10th.
Planting the safrinha corn in March could expose the crop to potential lower yields due to the onset of dry weather before the corn reaches maturity. With continued delays in soybean planting, it is possible that the safrinha corn acreage could decline.
Farmers in the state have forward contracted 28% of their intended soybean production with prices in the range of R$ 70 to 72 reals per sack (approximately $7.90 to $8.10 per bushel).