Despite the dry weather, which caused soybean planting to start slower this year in Brazil, the 2019/2020 corn harvest was estimated at a new record above 100m tons, with a 3.4% increase in the planted area, according to analysts polled by Reuters for a survey. The dry condition at this early stage is generally not a problem for oilseed or summer corn production in the country. But the sooner the planting occurs, the better for the second and largest crop of corn, planted after the oilseed, for reasons associated with the climate. The survey, which included nine experts, points to a total corn crop in Brazil, the second global grain exporter, at 102.30m tons, up 2.3% from the record seen in 2018/2019, when corn cultivation was favored by earlier soybeans in most regions. The projected average for Brazil’s corn production is almost the same as estimated in a similar survey conducted in early August (101.9m tons), although climate forecasts indicate that the highest rainfall will be recorded only at the end of the month, ultimately ensuring better conditions for grain planting.
Source: Reuters