Jan 19, 2016
Brazilian Soybean Harvest Starts Slow - 0.5% Harvested
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
After very dry weather during November and December, farmers in central Brazil are now confronted with very wet weather just as they start to harvest their early maturing soybeans. The wet weather continues to slow the initial soybean harvest in Brazil and is leading to concerns about poor seed quality. According to AgRural, as of last Friday, the nationwide soybean harvest was 0.5% compared to 1.1% last year and 0.7% five-year average.
Mato Grosso - The newspaper Diario de Cuiaba reported that farmers in Mato Grosso have harvested 1.7% of their soybeans compared to 3% last year. Some of the early harvested soybeans are reported to be 20% moisture, which will require drying down to 13.5% moisture which is necessary for safe storage. There are reports of poor quality grain where farmers have not been able to harvest due to wet weather. The forecast is calling for continued wet weather through the end of January which means that the harvest pace will remain slow until probably early February.
Parana - Approximately 0.3% of the soybeans have been harvested compared to 1.3% last year. Most of the early harvesting is occurring in the western part of the state and there have been reports of some soybeans sprouting in the pods.
Minas Gerais - Less than 1% of the soybeans have been harvested with most of the harvest activity centered on the irrigated soybeans that were planted first. The harvest of the non-irrigated soybeans will start at the end of January.
Goias - No reports yet of early harvesting. Farmers who sold their soybeans for January delivery may have hard time meeting those commitments.