Farmers in S. Brazil Have Started Planting Their 2023/24 Corn

Farmers in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul have started planting their 2023/24 corn crop according to Emater-RS. Farmers in the state had planted about 4% of their intended corn as of late last week compared to 2% last year.

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. For the last three years, southern Brazil received less-than-normal rainfall due to La Nina (cooler-than-normal water temperatures in the eastern Pacific). Currently, there is an El Nino in the Pacific Ocean (warmer-than-normal water temperatures in the eastern Pacific) which usually results in normal to above normal rainfall in southern Brazil.

Emater reported that the wheat crop in Rio Grande do Sul was developing normally and the wheat was 84% in vegetative development, 14% flowering, and 2% filling grain.

Tags: Brazil, crop, Rio Grande do Sul, corn, planting