February 14, 2007

 

Brazil 2006/07 soy crop 7 percent harvested as of Feb 13

 

 

Brazil's 2006/07 soy crop is 7 percent harvested as of Feb 13, agri-business consulting firm AgRural said Tuesday (Feb 13).

 

The number is just three points higher than last week's estimate, due to heavy rains in Mato Grosso. Northern Mato Grosso is the first region of Brazil to start harvesting, but rain has affected farmers' ability to harvest.

 

Mato Grosso's soy crop is currently 17 percent harvested, compared to 13 percent last week. Mato Grosso is Brazil's leading soy producer.

 

In Goias, the soy crop is advancing more rapidly and currently at 16 percent compared to just 7 percent last week. Although the soy regions of Goias have been soaked with rainfall over the last several weeks, intervals of sunny weather have helped farmers harvest over the period.

 

Farther south, in Parana, 5 percent of the crop has been harvested as of Feb 13 compared to just 0.5 percent last week. Parana is the only southern state harvesting at this time.

 

Parana is the No. 2 soy producer. Rio Grande do Sul, also in the south, is the No. 3 producer, but has not yet begun to harvest.

 

 

Soy sales

 

Brazil has sold 46 percent of the 2006/07 soy crop as of Feb 13, compared with 40 percent in December and just 19 percent in February 2006, according to AgRural. The group estimates Brazil's harvest to be around 57.5 million tonnes.

 

Higher commodity prices for soybeans pushed up early sales.

 

Mato Grosso has already sold 66 percent of the estimated 15 million tonnes of soybeans expected from the 2006/07 harvest. In December, the state's farmers sold 61 percent, and in February 2006 they sold 33 percent.

 

Parana farmers have sold 32 percent of the 2006/07 soy crop, estimated around 11.9 million tonnes. In December, Parana soy growers had sold 25 percent and in February 2006 sold 8 percent.

 

Rio Grande do Sul sold 20 percent of its crop, put around 9 million tonnes, compared with 18 percent in December and just 9 percent in February 2006.

 

Brazil is the world's no. 2 soy producer behind the US.