December 19, 2005

Southern Brazil's soy crops unaffected by dry weather

State meteorologists from Rio Grande do Sul in south Brazil told Dow Jones Newswires that a dry weather spell this week had no effect on soy crops.

Dry weather has affected two regions in the state, which are mostly responsible for producing corn.

"The regions where the weather has been driest are not significant soy producers," said coordinator of the state's agro-meteorology department Edegar da Silva.

"Most of the state's soy farms are located in the northwestern part of the state, where rainfall has been consistent with historic averages," Silva said.

Rio Grande do Sul lost 74 percent of its originally estimated 9.2 million tonnes 2004-05 soy crop because of a prolonged drought between November 2004 and February 2005.

"The weather has been no problem for our soy crops this season," said Carlos Schmitt, an agronomist at Comacel Cooperative, a mid-sized soy co-op planting 5,000 hectares in Rio Grande do Sul.

Dry weather at this stage of the plants' development can stunt growth.

State meteorologists will release an extended forecast on Dec 21, providing better details on possible crop losses for corn. Silva said their current long-range forecast for the January to March 2006 period is for normal rainfall.