MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Climate variability complicating crop sowing in Brazilian farming states

Too much rainfall, constant cloudy skies and low temperatures, has made sowing lose steam in the state of Paraná, which also faces slower plant development

Climate variability and excessive rainfall have delayed the planting of Brazil’s 2022/2023 soy crop, which reached 34% of the estimated area, against 24% in the previous week and 38% in the same period last year, according to a survey by AgRural released this week.

Too much rainfall, constant cloudy skies and low temperatures, has made sowing lose steam in the state of Paraná, which also faces slower plant development

In the west and southwest of Parana, areas that would normally be harvested in the second half of January tend to be ready for harvest only in early February, considering the current weather conditions.

On some farms in the state, growers will need to replant seeds due to excess rains, AgRural anticipated.

There is also a need for re-planting in some areas of eastern Mato Grosso and in parts of Minas Gerais, but in these two cases the problem is due to lack of rains, according to AgRural.

Brazilian farmers are also sowing their first corn, which represents 25% to 30% of national production in a given year and is mainly used internally as livestock feed.

AgRural estimates 51% of Brazil’s center-south fields have been planted already, compared with 53% in the same period of 2021. As with soybeans, some farmers are having to replant their first corn due to excessive rain, especially in Parana.

In São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Goias, which normally start planting first corn a bit later, sowing remains in the early stages and gradually progressing as soil moisture improves, AgRural said.