November 29, 2010

 

Rain eases dry spell in Brazil's third major soy state

Rains over parts of Brazil's third major soy state, Rio Grande do Sul, have helped to ease the dry spell in the southernmost state and more rain is expected early next week, forecasters Somar said Friday (Nov 26).

 

The state had been passing through a dry spell prior to this week threatening the now well-advanced planting of seeds. Newly planted soy needs regular rainfall to germinate and take root properly.

 

Analysts said some areas in the state that has sown over half of its expected four million hectares may have to replant.

 

Rio Grande do Sul is expected to harvest about 8.5 million tonnes of beans this year, down from the 10.2 million tonnes last season.

 

Brazil is forecast overall to harvest around 61 million tonnes of soy this year, the agriculture ministry said.

 

In the northwest of Rio Grande do Sul, 23 millimetres fell on farms in the middle of this week, while northern farms in the state got only half that amount. The isolated form of the rains will leave some farms too dry for healthy crop development.

 

Rio Grande do Sul has received 47-59 mm so far in November, when it usually receives 110-135 mm over the entire month.

 

Somar is forecasting more rain for early next week in all of the state's main growing areas with the heaviest rain falling on in areas that received the lightest rain this week.

 

Twenty to 30 mm is due to fall in the soy-growing regions of Passo Fundo, Carazinho and Tres Passos, while around 10-15 mm is due to fall in Cruz Alta, Santo Angelo and Ijui.

 

Each year, Rio Grande do Sul is typically the last of the major soy states to plant and harvest.

 

In the rest of Brazil's 24 million hectare soy belt outside of Rio Grande do Sul, rains are keeping soil moisture levels up, safeguarding planting and early crop development.

 

Although spring rains were over a month late to arrive in the main centre-west soy belt, showers are falling with greater regularity. Producers in the state are nearing the end of their planting campaign.

 

Number one soy state Mato Grosso has seen consistent rainfall over the month, with the exception of the southwestern part of the state, where the soy production area of Campo Novo do Parecis has only seen 91mm of the typical 300 mm the area normally gets in November.

 

Rain that is forecast to fall across the state in the coming week will push most of the productive regions close to their monthly averages for rainfall, Somar data showed.

 

Second major soy state Parana has been getting steady rainfall over nearly all of its growing areas and a new rain-bearing cold front is due to sweep into the state on Tuesday (Nov 30) or Wednesday (Dec 1) of next week, Somar said.

 

Despite the delay in spring rains in the center-west and the effects of La Nina that tends to make Brazil's soy belt drier, so far this planting season rains have been sufficient for favorable crop development in most areas.