December 1, 2004

Brazil's Soybean Planting 78% Completed
 

Favorable weather conditions had allowed Brazil's soy planting to continue at a healthy pace over the past week.

According to local analysts Celeres, 78 percent of the 2004-05 soybean crop has now been planted. The figure is up from 64 percent a week ago, but still lagging last year's 83 percent.

Good levels of rainfall and a lot of sunshine also meant that beans already planted are developing at a healthy rate. The consultants added that 15 percent of the crop is in the vegetative phase, up from 10 percent a week ago and on a par with the same time last year.

Planting is most advanced in the southern state of Parana, where 91 percent of seeds are in the ground, while the center west state of Mato Grosso is close behind with 90 percent.

The country's third-largest soy producer, Rio Grande do Sul, showed the quickest progress over the past week, with planting advancing from 49 percent a week ago to 67 percent complete.

Planting progress in Goias state was slowed last week because of a shortage of rainfall. The center-west state had planted 71 percent of its soy crop up to last Friday, well behind 84 percent at the same time last year. Farmers however got some welcome rainfall over the weekend and are expected to accelerate fieldwork this week.