With half of the soybean harvest complete in Brazil by Mar 5, it is time, again, to take a look at the second corn crop, also known as “safrinha??, which is being planted later than normal due to a delay in the soybean crop, caused by irregular rains in the last quarter of 2019.
Until last week, 80% of the projected area had been planted in south-central Brazil, in line with the five-year average, but only because top producer Mato Grosso has nearly finished sowing, according to AgRural data. In other states, the ideal window is already closed or about to end and farmers are working at full steam to avoid planting a large area during the second half of March.
Riskier crop
The late planting makes the second corn crop more susceptible to yield losses caused by dryness and/or freezing temperatures during pollination and grain filling.? Despite the delay, Brazil is likely to increase its area by around 3%, thanks to very attractive prices – a result of strong demand and a weakening Brazilian real against the dollar.? Continue reading
