November 18, 2009

Brazilian soy farmers have planted 61 percent of their crop as of Nov. 13, according to agricultural consultants Celeres.

This compares with 48 percent for the week before and 55 percent for the five-year average. Brazilian farmers had planted 55 percent of their soy at the same time last year, according to Celeres.

"The weather in November has generally helped most states with their soy planting," Leonardo Menezes, an analyst at Celeres, told Dow Jones Newswires on Tuesday.

While most states are ahead of last year in terms of planting, Parana, the No. 2 soy-producing state, saw heavy rains this season that initially slowed the planting in October. As a result, Parana is one of the few states to trail last year, Menezes said.

The rains in Parana, however, eased in November and this helped planting to catch up with previous years, he said. As a result, Parana saw 72 percent of its soy planted as of Nov. 13 versus 52 percent the week before and 73 percent a year ago.

In Mato Grosso, Brazil's No. 1 soy-producing state, farmers have been helped by favourable weather this season. They had planted 87 percent of their soy by Nov. 13, compared with 79 percent the week before and 80 percent a year ago.

The consultancy said that 18 percent of the 2009-10 soy has been sold as of Nov. 16. This is slightly up from 17 percent the week before and below a five-year average of 24 percent.

Celeres pegs Brazil's soy production at a record 64.7 million tonnes for 2009-10.

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