Pace of 2022/23 Safrinha Corn Planting in Brazil Varied by Region

The 2022/23 safrinha corn in central Brazil was generally planted on time with a few exceptions in Mato Grosso. In the southern locations, the safrinha corn was generally planted later than desired. The rainfall in Brazil is declining and this could become important for the later planted safrinha corn that will need moisture until June and no frost before mid-July.

The most advanced safrinha corn planting was in Mato Grosso, Goias, and Tocantins with the slowest planting in Parana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Sao Paulo, and Minas Gerais.

Mato Grosso – The Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea) estimated that 80% of the safrinha corn in the state was planted within the ideal planting window, but there were some exceptions such as the municipality of Campos do Julio in western Mato Grosso. The soybean planting and harvesting in the municipality were delayed enough to delay the safrinha corn planting. Normally, the safrinha corn is planted by February 28th, but this year the planted was not completed until March 25th. The weather thus far for the safrinha corn in Mato Grosso has been very good.

Parana – Safrinha corn planting in Parana was 93% as of earlier last week, which represented an advance of 16% for the week. The Department of Rural Economics (Deral) lowered their estimate of the 2022/23 safrinha corn production in the state by 0.68 million tons to 14.7 million due to the delayed planting of the safrinha corn and the possibility that some of the corn may be switched to wheat. Deral estimates that the 2023 wheat acreage in Parana will increase 13%.

Minas Gerais – The slow pace of the soybean harvest in Minas Gerais delayed the planting of the safrinha corn passed the ideal planting window. In the areas where farmers missed the ideal planting window for safrinha corn, most farmers are opting to plant grain sorghum instead. One of the reasons why farmers did not want to plant their safrinha corn later than desired was the increased risk from corn leafhoppers, which have become a significant corn pest in recent years.

Tags: Brazil, rainfall, safrinha corn, harvest, planting