Brazil’s 2023/24 First Corn Crop 7.3% Planted

Early corn planting has started in southern Brazil with 7.3% of the first corn crop planted compared to 5.1% last year according to AgRural. This represents an advance of 2.9% for the week. Most of the corn planting has occurred in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina but farmers in Parana have also started to plant their first corn crop.

Rio Grande do Sul only plants one crop of corn at the start of the growing season that is harvested later in the summer. This contrasts with other states in south-central Brazil that plant two crops of corn. The first corn crop planted at the start of the growing season is the smaller and the second corn crop planted after the soybeans are harvested is the larger.

Rio Grande do Sul only plants one crop of corn or soybeans because the “winter” weather is too cold. After the corn or soybeans are harvested, farmers in the state plant cool season grain such as wheat, barley, oats, or canola.

Farmers are hoping for a rebound this year after three disappointing growing seasons in a row due to the influence of La Nina. Currently, there is an El Nino in the Pacific Ocean which usually results in normal to above normal rainfall in southern Brazil.

Tags: corn, planting, Brazil, crop, first corn crop, second-corn crop