InfoSAWIT, SAO PAULO – Brazil's soybean harvest for the 2024/25 season has reached 15% of the total planted area as of last Thursday, according to a report from agribusiness consultant AgRural on Monday. This figure is up 6% from the previous week but still lags behind last year's achievement of 23% during the same period.

The delay in harvesting raises concerns about the second corn planting in several regions of Brazil. The southern state of Parana is the fastest in the harvesting process, with one-third of the total soybean area already harvested. Meanwhile, the largest wheat-producing state, Mato Grosso, has also made significant progress despite facing unfavorable weather conditions.

In Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's southernmost state, last week's rain provided relief to farmers after experiencing drought throughout January. However, attention is now focused on the potential delay in soybean harvesting, which could narrow the window for second corn planting and increase climate risks for those crops.

According to AgRural, as of last Thursday, about 20% of the estimated area for second corn planting in the central-southern region of Brazil has been planted. This figure is up 11% from the previous week but still far below the 38% recorded during the same period last year.

"The planting pace is quite high in Parana and Mato Grosso do Sul, but there are still significant delays in Mato Grosso and Goias. Farmers in those areas are concerned as the ideal planting window will close by the end of February," AgRural noted in its report, as quoted by InfoSAWIT from Reuters on Wednesday (February 12, 2025).

Second corn in Brazil is planted after the soybean harvest on the same land and accounts for about 75% of the national corn production each year. With the delay in soybean harvesting, farmers face challenges in ensuring optimal corn yields amid uncertain weather conditions. (T2)