2023/24 Brazil Safrinha Corn 27% Planted vs. 11% Last Year

The safrinha corn was 27% planted as of late last week compared to 11% last year according to AgRural. This represents an advance of 16% for the week. A successful safrinha corn crop is highly dependent on the summer rainy season extending into early May at least. It is too early to say for sure when the rainy season will end, but there are signs that it may end earlier rather than later.

Metrologists in Brazil and the U.S. have speculated that hot and dry weather, similar to what occurred last October and November, may be in store for south-central Brazil starting as soon as the second half of February. If that turns out to be true, it would be bad news for the safrinha corn.

Safrinha planting will not be completed until sometime in March, but if the weather turns dryer during the second half of February, farmers may not want to risk planting their safrinha corn later than normal, especially at these low corn prices.

The first corn crop in Brazil was 17% harvested as of late last week compared to 10% last year. This represents an advance of 5% for the week.

The safrinha corn in Mato Grosso was 28.6% planted as of late last week compared to 16.4% last year and 31.5% average according to the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea). This represent an advance of 17.4% for the week. The most advanced safrinha corn planting is in the mid-north where the crop is 42% planted.

In the municipality of Canarana in eastern Mato Grosso, many farmers are going to reduce their safrinha acreage due to lack of profitability. Instead, they may plant sesame or grain sorghum. Below is the 2023/24 safrinha planting pace in Mato Grosso (red line) from Imea.

The Department of Rural Economics (Deral) reported that 19% of the first corn crop in Parana has been harvested as of earlier last week. Of the remaining crop, 3% is pollinating, 27% is filling grain, and 70% is maturing. The corn is rated 5% poor, 27% average, and 68% good. Yield of the first corn crop are reported to be below expectations.

Deral reported that farmers in Parana had planted 22% of their safrinha corn as of earlier last week, which is the fastest planting pace since 2019.

Recent dry weather has facilitated the corn harvest in the state. Emater reported that the corn was 41% harvested as of late last week. Yields are reported to be highly variable due to excess moisture during pollination which resulted in small ears and missing kernels.

Tags: Brazil, crop, safrinha corn, first corn crop, planted