Jan 20, 2022
Brazilian Farmers in Initial Stages of Safrinha Corn Planting
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Brazilian farmers are in the initial stages of planting their 2021/22 safrinha corn after they harvest their soybeans. In the state of Mato Grosso, which is Brazil's largest safrinha corn producing state, farmers have planted 1.5% of their safrinha corn compared to 2.1% average according to the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea).
Persistent wet conditions in the state have slowed the early soybean harvest resulting in less available acreage to plant corn. Additionally, much of the early harvested soybeans are followed by safrinha cotton, which has a narrower planting window compared to safrinha corn. The ideal planting window in Mato Grosso for safrinha cotton closes at the end of January, whereas the window for safrinha corn, closes about the third week of February.
The second largest safrinha corn producing state in Brazil is Parana and farmers in the state have planted 2% of their safrinha corn according to the Department of Rural Economics (Deral). Parana has suffered from a severe drought for the last several months and there are reports that some farmers are waiting for additional moisture before they plant their safrinha corn. Farmers in Parana could still plant their safrinha corn until about the third week of February.
Acreage of the first corn crop in Parana is estimated at 434,815 hectares (1.07 million acres). Acreage of the safrinha corn in Parana is estimated at 2.5 million hectares (6.1 million acres). Therefore, the first corn crop represents only 15% of the state's total corn acreage, while the safrinha crop represents 85% of the total.
Safrinha corn production in Brazil represents approximately 75% of Brazil's total corn production.