February 18, 2009

Brazil's No. 1 soy-producing state, Mato Grosso, is being lashed with rain this week, which will slow the soy harvest, local weather service Somar said Tuesday (February 17).

 

"Heavy rain has been falling since Saturday and will continue for the rest of this week at a somewhat lighter level until Thursday," said Celso Oliveira, a meteorologist at Somar. "This is definitely slowing the harvest [in Mato Grosso]," he said.

 

Soy growing areas such as Alta Floresta received 26 millimetres of rain on Tuesday, while Rondonopolis saw 16 millimetres of rain.

 

Mato Grosso had harvested 18 percent of its soy area by Friday, agricultural consultancy Celeres said Monday.

 

The rain is expected to ease off on Thursday and fall in the afternoons, which should enable farmers to harvest more beans, Oliveira said.

 

"This weather is slowing the harvest, but it's unlikely to impact [soy] yields," said Steve Cachia, an analyst at Cerealpar.

 

But if the rain continues, there could be an impact on the quality of the beans, he warned.

 

Rain is also falling in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, the No.3 soy producer, and will continue throughout March, Oliveira said.

 

"This is good news for the farmers and will help the crop to develop in Rio Grande do Sul," he said.

 

This rain is important to allow the crop to develop, especially after long, dry spells between November and January. The harvest in Rio Grande do Sul will begin in March.

 

Brazil is the world's second-largest soy producer after the US.