Mato Grosso Farmers to Increase Soy and Corn Acreage in 2022/23

Farmers in the state of Mato Grosso may start planting their 2022/23 soybeans after the “Soybean Free” period ends on September 15th. Farmers generally like to wait until they receive 1-2 inches of precipitation before they start planting.

The metrological firm TempoCampo/Aproclima is forecasting 1 to 2 inches of rainfall over the next 30 days across most of the state with the heaviest amounts in northwestern, northern and the mid-north regions of the state. If farmers plant their soybeans only after the first light rain, the soybeans may germinate and then subsequently die due to lack of moisture before the crop is established. Farmers want to avoid having to replant their soybeans this year due the increased cost of inputs.

The Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea) is estimating the 2022/23 soybean acreage in the state at 11.81 million hectares (29.1 million acres) which is up 2.9% from last year. Soybean production in the state is estimated at 41.5 million tons, which is unchanged from last month, but up 1.6% compared to last year and would be a new record. As a comparison, the 2022/23 soybean acreage in Mato Grosso would be equivalent to the 2022 combined soybean acreage in the U.S. states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and North Carolina.

Imea is estimating the 2022/23 corn acreage at 7,27 million hectares (17.9 million acres), which is up 1.8% compared to last year. Corn production is estimated to increase 3,8% compared to last year to 45.5 million tons. In 2021/22 the state produced 43.8 million tons of corn. Virtually all the corn in Mato Grosso is grown as a safrinha crop after the soybeans are harvested.

Farmers will remain cautious about their safrinha corn acreage until they have completed their soybean planting because the timing of the soybean planting will determine the timing of the safrinha corn planting. If the soybean planting is delayed due to dry weather, then the safrinha corn planting would be delayed as well increasing the risk for lower corn yields.

Tags: estimated, corn, planting, rainfall, soybeans, Production, yields, precipitation, acreage, safrinha corn, forecasting