Mar 25, 2022
Soybean Yields in State of Minas Gerais On Par with Last Year
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The weather this growing season in the state of Minas Gerais in east-central Brazil was excessively wet with extended periods of heavy overcast skies and scant sunshine during the months of November and December. Farmers were concerned that the lack of sunshine could negatively impact their soybean yields, but it looks like soybean yields in the state will be on par with last year.
According to the president of Aprosoja/MG, farmers in the state have harvested 80% of their 2021/22 soybeans with yields in the range of 59 to 62 sacks per hectare (52.7 to 55.4 bu/ac). Domestic soybean prices are strong and farmers are expected to make good profits on their 2021/22 soybeans. Farmers are concerned though about the high costs and availability of fertilizers and other inputs for the 2022/23 crop they will plant later this year.
Many farmers planted safrinha corn after the soybeans were harvested and the conditions for the safrinha corn have been good thus far and the crop is developing normally. Farmers are concerned though about the future weather. The long-range forecast for the state is for cold and dry weather with the possibility of frost.
Metrologists in Brazil point to the fact that La Nina is still present in the Pacific Ocean and that alone could result in earlier-than-normal frosts in Brazil. In fact, some metrologists are forecasting that the first wave of cold temperatures could arrive in Brazil by the end of April. Any frost in Minas Gerais before the end of June would negatively impact the safrinha corn yields in the state.