South America Calling

Recent moderate to heavy rainfall over Argentina and southern Brazil has had a significant positive impact on immature corn and soybeans. More showers in the same region through the next week will eat further into drought conditions.

Soybean harvest continues to lag the normal pace, but the rate of progress is normal, given the two-week delay to the start of the main growing season. Dryness in Argentina will continue during the next 10 days while showers in Brazil will become more isolated next week.

The six- to 10-day forecast offers a window of drier conditions for southern Brazil harvest, but places harvest-disrupting rain over central Brazil.

A front moving through Brazil will stall from Mato Grosso to Minas Gerais this weekend. Areas to the south should see improved conditions for soybean harvest and safrinha corn planting, though it may be short. Northern areas should expect to see more delays.

February could be sketchy for safrinha corn planting as showers are too abundant over the south and likely not enough across the north. Here's an extended look at what Brazil crops can expect for weather into May, thanks to a La Nina pattern.

La Nina values remain robust at heart of South America crop season.

While showers have been active more than the past 60 days for much of South America, amounts have been greatly underachieved. (DTN graphic)

A static, very-wet or very-dry scenario is forecast over Brazil and Argentina crop areas through the end of 2020.

Forecasts for widespread beneficial rain in most of Brazil's soybean areas during the next 10 days will be closely watched.

Highest soybean production areas of Brazil have very little rain in the seven-day forecast.

A prominent climate forecast agency calls for continued dryness in South America and in the U.S. Southern Plains due to La Nina.

Pacific Ocean La Nina presence is already getting factored into crop projections.

Late-arriving moisture means that Brazil planting season is off to a slow start.

Showers are expected across much of the primary growing regions in South America, but needed moderate to heavy rains will be confined to just a few locations.

Rain has been reluctant to get underway in central Brazil, meaning delays in soybean planting.

Brazil's top soybean production state, Mato Grosso, has a later-than-average start to its rainy season indicated.

Brazil's soybean planting season faces a delayed start due to dryness.

While the U.S. is enjoying the current price advantage to Brazil on an FOB basis, leading to a surge in export demand from China for corn and soybeans, that euphoria could be short-lived.