Brazil's southern Rio Grande do Sul state advanced its 2024-25 summer corn harvest this past week, as high temperatures reduced humidity levels in crops.
Activities advanced to 54pc from 43pc of the estimated sowed area in the week ended 13 February, according to regional rural agency Emater-RS.
The 2023-24 crop was 51pc harvested at this time a year, while the five-year average is of 44pc.
Summer corn planting is yet to finish in the state, remaining at 99pc of the expected area between 6-13 February. That is in line with pace in the 2023-24 crop a year prior and the five-year average.
The state expects to produce 5.3mn metric tonnes (t) of summer corn in the 2024-25 season, an almost 18pc increase from the 4.5mn t in 2023-24. Rio Grande do Sul's 2024-25 summer corn crop is set to be sowed in around 748,510 hectares (ha) and register average yields of 7,116 kg/ha. The previous season was planted on 808,915ha, posting average yields of 5,634 kg/ha.
Soybeans
Rio Grande do Sul's 2024-25 soybean crop is fully sowed since the week ended 6 February, but harvesting is yet to begin.
The state expects to produce 21.7mn t of soybeans in the 2024-25 season, up by nearly 17pc from 18.6mn t in the 2023-24 crop. The 2024-25 soybean crop is set to be sowed in 6.8mn ha and register average yields of 3,179 kg/ha, both up from 6.7mn ha and 2,784 kg/ha in the prior cycle.