South America Calling

Brazil's soybean planting season may have got off to a slow start in Mato Grosso, but field work is now moving quickly in Parana.

The No. 2 soy state had planted 10% of projected area as of Sunday, according to Parana's Agricultural Economy Department (DERAL), after ample rains allowed farmers to send planters into the fields last week.

Area planted rose by eight percentage points in the seven-day period.

Some 93% of the soybean crop is in the germination phase and 7% is in the vegetative development phase, said the report.

Further showers this week will have maintained good soil moisture levels and allowed growers to keep up the pace of planting.

Parana will plant 14.3 million metric tons (mmt) of soybeans this season, virtually stable on the year before, according to DERAL. That represents around 20% of the total Brazilian crop. But the state will produce around 25% of the Brazil's overall crop as its farmers historically post good yields.

Early planting is concentrated in the west and northwest of the state, where farmers are keen to get the soybeans in the ground as quickly as possible to allow ample time for a second crop of corn.

(AG)

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