2023/24 Brazil Safrinha Corn 73% Planted vs. 56% Last Year

The safrinha corn was 73% planted as of late last week compared to 56% last year. This represents an advance of 14% for the week. Planting has been running about a week ahead of the normal pace. The planting and early crop development of the safrinha corn has been good thus far. Safrinha corn acreage is still very uncertain mainly due to low corn prices that are below the cost of production. The limit for safrinha corn planting is about March 10-15.

The safrinha corn in Mato Grosso was 80% planted as of late last week compared to 75% last year and 72% average. This represents an advance of 15% for the week. The most advanced planting is in the mid-north where 94% has been planted. Below is the safrinha corn planting pace in Mato Grosso (red line) from the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea).

In Parana farmers are harvesting their first corn crop and planting their safrinha corn crop at the same time. The Department of Rural Economics (Deral) estimates that farmers had harvested 55% of the first corn crop as of earlier last week and the production will be down 13% compared to last year. Deral estimates that the first corn crop will be 2.6 million tons, which is down from their earlier estimate of 3 million tons.

Farmers have planted 55% of their safrinha corn and if the weather cooperates going forward, Deral is estimating that Parana will produce a record safrinha corn crop of 14.5 million tons. Conditions have been good for safrinha planting and the crop is developing normally.

Corn development in Rio Grande do Sul varies considerably depending on location. Corn that was planted early has already been harvested while some late planted corn is still in vegetative development. Emater reported late last week that 66% of the corn in the state had been harvested. The earlier planted corn appears to have been impacted the most by hot and dry weather during December and early January. Some of the later planted corn was still in vegetative development when the rainfall improved allowing for some recouperation.

Corn yields are highly variable depending on when and where it was planted. In the municipality of Erechim in northern Rio Grande do Sul, the corn is 80% harvested and yields averaged 6,000 kg/ha (95 bu/ac). In the municipality of Frederico Westphalen in the northwestern part of the state, the harvest is complete and yields were 40% below initial expectations. The recent rains have helped the later developing corn, but not enough to completely compensate for the losses from the earlier planted corn.

Farmers in the state Santa Catarina are harvesting their 2023/24 corn and yields are less than initially expected. The president of Aprosoja/SC estimates the statewide corn yield will be in the range of 160 to 170 sacks per hectare (152 to 162 bu/ac) compared to a more normal yield of 200 sacks per hectare (190 bu/ac).

Irregular distribution of rainfall in Mato Grosso do Sul is disrupting the planting of the safrinha corn after the soybeans are harvested. Where the rainfall has been more abundant, the safrinha corn was planted on time and the crop is in vegetative development. In other areas, farmers are still waiting for adequate soil moisture to plant their safrinha corn.

For the corn that is in vegetative development, farmers are reporting increased pressure from stink bugs and corn leafhoppers, which will require multiple application of insecticides increasing the cost of production.

The first corn crop in Brazil was 42% harvested as of late last week compared to 27% last year according to AgRural. This represents an advance of 8% for the week.

Tags: Production, yields, crop, safrinha corn, planted