The weather last week in Brazil was wet once again in central
Brazil but generally dry in southern Brazil. The forecast looks dryer
for all of Brazil and especially in southern Brazil. Dryer weather in
Brazil at this time of the year is very common. The summer rainy season
typically ends in early May. I say typically because four of the last
five years the rains continued until early June. You never quite know
when the dry season has started until it hasn't rained for several
weeks.
With dryer weather moving into Brazil, there is more emphasis now
on how the weather might impact the safrinha corn. The safrinha corn is
doing very well in Mato Grosso, northern Mato Grosso do Sul, Goias,
Minas Gerais, and northern Sao Paulo. In contrast, the safrinha corn
needs rain in Parana, southern Mato Grosso do Sul, and southern Sao
Paulo.
I would estimate that approximately 65% to 70% of the safrinha corn
in Brazil is in good condition and that 30% to 35% of the safrinha corn
is in various stages of needing a rain.
The weather in central Brazil is forecasted to get dryer, but there
is still adequate soil moisture to sustain the crop for several more
weeks. The most advanced safrinha corn in central Brazil is in mid-grain
fill and the most delayed safrinha corn in central Brazil is 3-4 feet
tall. The most advanced safrinha corn in central Brazil will do fine
even if the weather now turns dryer. The most delayed safrinha corn in
central Brazil will need additional rains to achieve its yield
potential.
In contrast, the situation in Parana is much different. Farmers in
Parana finished planting their safrinha corn after the ideal planting
window had closed and now it has been over three weeks since the last
rain in western Parana and there is very little rainfall in the
forecast. Approximately 40% of the corn in Parana is in the reproductive
stage. The farmers in the region are worried that if it doesn't start
raining very soon, the safrinha corn could quickly develop moisture
stress. Unfortunately, there is very little rainfall in the forecast.
The situation is similar for the safrinha corn in southern Mato Grosso
do Sul.
It was also very cold in southern Brazil last week with record low
temperatures in numerous locations. There were several nights where
there were frosts in the higher elevations of southern Brazil. There
were no frost in the safrinha corn areas, but this is the third "near
miss" of frost in southern Brazil over the past two months. The forecast
is calling for warmer temperatures in southern Brazil, so it looks like
the threat of frost is passed, at least for now. As of April 16th, the
safrinha corn in Parana was 74% in vegetative development, 23%
pollinating, and 3% filling grain. At that point, the crop was still
rated 98% good, but that will decline as the dryness persists.
The safrinha corn in Parana will not finish pollinating until about
mid-May, so any frost before about early June would negatively impact
the safrinha corn in Parana and southern Mato Grosso do Sul.