US corn and soybean conditions remain stable

Market: Agriculture
08/07/24

Both corn crop conditions and soybean conditions improved last week, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

For the week ended 7 July, corn rated good to excellent increased to 68pc compared to 67pc the previous week. Illinois and Iowa conditions improved after receiving equal amounts of precipitation this past week.

Soybean conditions rated good to excellent increased to 68pc compared with 67pc last week. Illinois and Iowa conditions exceeded last week's amount with a 2 percentage point increase from Illinois and a 4 percentage point increase from Iowa.

US winter wheat was 63pc harvested, an 11 percentage point increase from the five-year average. Kansas, the largest winter wheat producing state, has harvested 92pc of its crop, compared with 72pc for the five-year average.

By Trajan Greenwell

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28/04/25

US winter wheat recovers with much needed rain

St Louis, 28 April (Argus) — The outlook for US winter wheat improved sharply over the week ending 27 April following much needed rain. US winter wheat acres rated in good-to excellent condition gained four percentage points over the prior week, according to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, reaching 49pc of the crop. Kansas, the largest US winter wheat state by acres, had been trending towards being a point of concern as the good-to-excellent ration for the wheat crop in the state had fallen by 10 percentage points from the week of 6 April. With the recent update, Kansas winter wheat was rated 47pc in good-to-excellent condition, 14 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Other key winter wheat states improved as well, with the good-to-excellent ratios in Nebraska and Texas increasing by three and four percentage points, respectively. In contrast, crop conditions in Wyoming continued to fall, down 37 percentage points from the five-year average with only 2pc of the crop rated in good-to-excellent condition. The week ahead could see additional improvements for Kansas and Texas, with large portions of the two states projected to receive a half an inch of rain or more over the next seven days according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Colorado and Wyoming are projected to receive rain as well, but current estimates suggest it is likely to be too far west, and too small an amount to have a significant impact. Corn, soy planting pace divided by rain US corn planting remained largely on-pace, with 24pc of the crop planted as of 27 April, two percentage points ahead of the five-year average according to USDA data. Large gains were made across the western half of the US corn belt, with Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas advancing 12 percentage points or more during the week. In states east of the Mississippi River, the pace of planting has been slower due to wet fields and continuous precipitation. As of 27 April, corn planting in Illinois was 10 percentage points behind the five-year average, while Wisconsin and Indianan were both three percentage points behind. Soybean planting made progress as well, increasing by 10 percentage points from the prior week to 18pc planted. The week ahead is likely to see planting advance more slowly and could result in the discrepancy in planting pace between the eastern and western half of the US increase. Heavy precipitation is projected to occur across most of the central US starting the evening of 28 April, and persist into the middle of the week according to NOAA projections. By 1 May, precipitation is expected to be mostly moved out of the western portion, with rains projected to occur east of the Mississippi into the coming weekend. By Ryan Koory Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Brazil to hold auction to recover degraded land

28/04/25

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28/04/25

Brazil to hold auction to recover degraded land

Sao Paulo, 28 April (Argus) — Brazil's finance, environment and agriculture ministries will host a second auction to recover 1mn hectares (ha) of degraded lands in all Brazilian biomes except the Amazon, the national treasury said on Monday. The auction will be a part of Eco Invest, a currency-hedging program targeting renewable and low-carbon projects to draw foreign investment, announced in February 2024. The finance ministry and central bank developed the program with the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The auction is part of New Brazil, a wider energy transition project within the finance ministry. The project aims to finance conversions of degraded lands in different biomes to sustainable and productive ecosystems through private investments. The Amazon biome, the most hit by deforestation, will receive a "customized and exclusive auction" that will be announced later, the environment ministry said. Participants must submit project proposals to the national treasury by 13 June. The government expects to raise up to R10bn ($1.76bn) in the auction. Land-use change and deforestation Emissions from land-use change and deforestation in Brazil reached 1.06bn metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) in 2023, down by 24pc from a year earlier, according to greenhouse gas tracking platform SEEG. These activities have been leading Brazil's total emissions since 1990 — when historic tracking began — followed by agriculture and cattle raising and the energy sectors. There are currently 280mn ha of farmlands, of which around 29pc are degraded. The government aims to recover up to 40mn ha of grasslands in the next 10 years, the environment and climate change ministry said. The Eco Invest auction will finance the first round of the initiative, dubbed the Green Way program, according to the agriculture ministry. Brazil aims to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions by 67pc by 2035 from its 2005 levels and sees reducing deforestation as one of its main ways to achieve that goal. The country will host the upcoming UN Cop 30 climate summit in Belem city, in the Amazon biome, as the administration looks to lead the global energy transition . By João Curi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Argentina soybean harvest accelerates on dryer weather

25/04/25

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25/04/25

Argentina soybean harvest accelerates on dryer weather

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Brazil Rio Grande do Sul soy harvest reaches 80pc

24/04/25

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24/04/25

Brazil Rio Grande do Sul soy harvest reaches 80pc

Sao Paulo, 24 April (Argus) — The 2024-25 soybean harvest in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state reached 80pc of the expected area, according to regional rural agency Emater-RS. Work advanced by 20 percentage points in the southern state between 18-24 April. That is ahead of the 66pc in the same week last year and the 73pc five-year average for the period. Stable weather conditions, such as sunny days and dry weather, favored progress, which also helped logistics operations. Rio Grande do Sul expects to produce 15.1mn metric tonnes (t) of soybeans in the 2024-25 season, down by 17pc from 18.6mn t in the 2023-24 crop. The 2024-25 soybean crop is set to be sowed in 6.73mn hectares (ha) and register average yields of 2,240 kg/ha. That compares with 6.7mn ha and 2,809 kg/ha, respectively, in the prior cycle. Summer corn Rio Grande do Sul's 2024-25 summer corn harvest advanced by 1 percentage point to 89pc of the sowed area in the week ended 24 April. That is ahead of the 82pc harvested for the 2023-24 crop at this time a year ago and the 79pc five-year average. The corn harvest is proceeding more slowly compared with other summer crops. But the occurrence of rain and mild temperatures favored late areas' productive potential. Emater-RS expects the state to produce 4.8mn t of summer corn in the 2024-25 season, a 6pc increase from the 4.5mn t produced in 2023-24. The crop is set to be sowed in around 696,590ha and yield 6,866 kg/ha. The previous season was planted on 808,916ha, posting average yields of 5,646 kg/ha. Late figures Emater released data for the week ended 17 April late because of the Easter holiday. Rio Grande do Sul's 2024-25 soybean harvest advanced by 10 percentage points in the week ended 17 April, reaching 60pc. That was above the 53pc in 2023-24 crop at the same time a year ago and in line with the five-year-average. The summer corn harvest advanced by 3 percentage points to 88pc in the same period. That was above the 80pc in the same period of the prior crop and the five-year-average of 77pc. By Sofia Zizza Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Water levels delay Tennessee River lock reopening

24/04/25

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24/04/25

Water levels delay Tennessee River lock reopening

Houston, 24 April (Argus) — The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) will delay the reopening of the Tennessee River's Wilson Lock by three weeks after high floodwater disrupted repair plans. The Wilson Lock is now planned to reopen in mid-June or July, the Corps said this week. The lock's main chamber has been closed since September after severe cracks were found in the structure. The Corps initiated evacuation procedures so personnel and equipment could be removed before any water entered the dewatered lock and ruined repairs after high water appeared too close to the lock's edge. The water did not crest above the temporary barrier the Corps installed to keep water out. Delays at the lock averaged around 10 days as of 24 April, according to the Corps. Barge carriers fees have been in place for each barge that must pass through the auxiliary chamber of the lock since 25 September, when the lock first closed. Restricted barge movement placed upward pressure on fertilizer prices in surrounding areas as well. The lock still requires structural repairs to the main chamber gates, including the replacement of the pintle components, the Corps said. This is the fourth opening delay the Corps have issued for the Wilson Lock, with the prior opening dates being in November , then April and then in June . The Wilson Lock will enter its eighth month of repairs next month. By Meghan Yoyotte and Sneha Kumar Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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