Farmers in the state of Sao Paulo in southern Brazil have harvested approximately 20% of their 2023/24 soybeans. The director of the Soybean & Corn Producers Association of Sao Palo (Aprosoja/SP) is estimating the yields thus far in the range of 30 to 40 sacks per hectare (27 to 36 bu/ac).
The soybeans that are currently being harvested were planted in October and suffered from hot and dry weather during October and November. The later planted soybeans are expected to have higher yields, but not high enough to completely compensate for the lower yields from the earlier planted soybeans.
The average soybean yield in Sao Paulo is generally in the range of 55 to 65 sacks per hectare (49 to 58 bu/ac) and the director of Aprosoja/SP feels the statewide yield in 2023/24 will be far short of average.
Farmers in Sao Paulo are expected to reduce their safrinha corn acreage by maybe as much as 40% due to corn prices that are below the cost of production. Instead of corn, farmers may opt for grain sorghum which is cheaper to plant and more resistant to dry weather. The cost of production for grain sorghum is approximately 50% of corn and the prices paid for grain sorghum are generally 80% to 85% that of corn.
