Southern Brazil Still Facing Dry Weather
Corn and soybean crops could see losses from a prolonged dry spell.
Compiled by staff
Published: Jan 2, 2009
The weather in Brazil's top producing areas of the south are facing a long-term dry spell that could mean a drop in production for the region's corn and soybean crops. Although parts of the region has recently received heavy rains, other areas remain dry.
Parana, the No. 2 soy-growing state and Rio Grande do Sul, the No. 3 soy-growing state have just 3.9 inches of rain between Nov. 1 and Dec. 29, according to a Dow Jones report. That compares to nearly 16 inches of rain for the same period last year.
While timely rains in the remainder of the season could save a lot of soybean production, corn losses may be significant, according to the report.
Parana produced 11.8 million metric tons of soybeans in 2007-2008, while Rio Grande do Sul produced 7.7 million tons. Parana also produced 9.7 million tons of corn in the first harvest last season, while Rio Grande do Sul raised 5.3 million tons.
Lack of rain could impact production of the 2008-2009 soy crop, now in the final stages of planting. Soy harvest should start in March. The corn crop is already in the ground and harvest should begin soon.
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Tagged: Harvest, soybean, soybeans, corn crop, soybean crops
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