According to the International Center for Economic Analysis and Agricultural Market Studies (Ceema), prices of corn in Brazil, prices improved slightly, maintaining a slow but steady pace of growth. In Rio Grande do Sul, the average price was R$ 59.90 per bag, with local markets close to R$ 58.00. In other regions of the country, prices fluctuated between R$ 42.00 and R$ 62.00 per bag, reflecting regional variations due to weather and logistical conditions.
According to data released by Secex, in the first two weeks of September 2024, the country exported 4.7 million tons of corn. A volume below the pace recorded in the same period in September 2023. The daily average of exports fell by 28.4% compared to the same month last year. Industry experts predict that, by the end of 2024, total corn exports will total approximately 36 million tons, a considerable drop when compared to the 55 million tons exported in 2023.
Regarding the planting of the new summer crop, Conab reported that as of September 22, 16.2% of the planned area had been planted. The states most advanced in this process are Rio Grande do Sul (51%), Paraná (46%) and Santa Catarina (22%). Among the planted areas, 41.8% of the crops are in the emergence phase, while 58.2% are in vegetative development.
Planting performance and corn prices vary
In Paraná, the Department of Rural Economy (Deral) reported that summer corn planting reached 60% of the expected area earlier this week. A lower performance than the 71% recorded in the same period in 2023. On the other hand, in Mato Grosso, the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea) reported that, between September 16 and 20, the average price of corn in the state was R$$ 41.52 per bag, representing an increase of 7.1% compared to the previous month. Furthermore, when compared to the same period in 2023, the increase was 16%, with the bag quoted at R$$ 35.78 last year.
However, in Mato Grosso do Sul, the Soybean Producers Association (Aprosoja) reported that the average productivity of the recently harvested second crop was 67 bags per hectare, totaling a production of 8.46 million tons in an area of 2.1 million hectares. Despite these numbers, productivity was 19.2% below expectations, making the current harvest the third worst in productivity in the last 10 years in the state.
Source: Seane Lennon | agrolink
