Soybean producers in Mato Grosso began to harvest the state’s first fields this week, but with the work still very localized, few dare to predict crop productivity or estimate the percentage harvested by the largest supplier of the oilseed in the country. Even so, the beginning of the harvest right after Christmas represents an advance of about 20 days in relation to the previous cycle, when producers sowed soybeans later because of weather problems. Less than 1% of soybeans were harvested in mid-January 2021, when the harvest was delayed, according to data from the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea), a panorama that should not be repeated this year. Mato Grosso is expected to harvest a record 38.14 million tons, up 5.8% year-on-year, according to the latest IMEA estimate, which indicates that the state will account for more than a quarter of the crop in Brazil, the largest producer and global exporter. Fernando Cadore, president of the Association of Soy and Corn Producers (Aprosoja) in the state, says that the harvest began in a few areas, notably in irrigated areas. In these regions, producers planted early to sow the second cotton and corn crop within the ideal window.
Sources: Reuters/Globo Rural (*Translated by Ia Niani)