Feb 01, 2024
Crop Tour Estimates Soybean Production in Goias Down 15-23%
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The Ministry of Agriculture for the state of Goias in central Brazil recently sponsored a soybean crop tour throughout the state. The tour conducted during the week of January 22nd involved 140 individuals traveling 8,000 kilometers covering five regions of the state and 80 cities.
Erratic weather this growing season resulted in a very wide range of crop development. Hot and dry weather during October and November delayed the soybean planting resulting in a sizable portion of the crop having to be replanted, sometimes more than once. Some of the early maturing soybeans had already been harvested when the tour passed through while some of the replanted soybeans were still germinating.
The tour technicians estimated that the final soybean production in the state will be down 15 to 23% from initial expectations. In 2022/23, the statewide soybean yield was 65 sacks per hectare (58 bu/ac). The 2023/24 crop is currently estimated at 50 to 55 sacks per hectare (44.7 to 49.1 bu/ac) or a loss of 10 to 15 sacks per hectare (8.9 to 13.4 bu/ac).
Early maturing soybeans were the most impacted by the hot and dry weather during October and November. The regions most impacted are southwestern Goias, the Araguaia Valley in western Goias, and northeastern Goias.
During the 2022/23 growing season, Goias produced 17.7 million tons of soybeans. Currently, it is estimated the state will produce between 13.8 to 15.2 million tons in 2023/24, or a reduction of as much as 3 million tons.