Farmers in Parana Brazil hoping for Good Safrinha Corn Crop

The state of Parana is the second largest safrinha corn producing state in Brazil and the Department of Rural Economics (Deral) reported earlier this week that 99% of the safrinha corn in the state has been planted. They rated the crop as 4% average and 96% in good condition with 1% of the crop germinating, 47% in vegetative development, 30% pollinating, and 22% filling grain.

Farmers in Parana are hoping for a good safrinha corn crop in order to partially compensate for a disappointing soybean crop. The 2018/19 soybean crop started off promising, but dry weather from late November through December severely impacted the early maturing soybeans. The hot and dry conditions hit just as the crop was in the critical pod filling phase.

The soybeans in Parana are 89% harvested and one of the last areas to be harvested will be in eastern Parana near the municipality of Ponta Grossa. Farmers in the area hope to wrap up their soybean harvest in about 10 days.

The yields in the municipality are highly variable with the average yield estimated at approximately 50 sacks per hectare (44.4 bu/ac), which is down 10-15% from last year. The yields of the early planted or early maturing soybeans could be down as much as 40-50%. The later planted or later maturing soybeans should have average type yields

For the farmers with the lowest soybean yields, their only path to profitability this year will be a good safrinha corn crop.