Despite the intense cold wave that took over Rio Grande do Sul this weekend, there was little rain and there was no frost – which could happen this week. In the opinion of Consultoria Trigo & Farinhas, this first cold wave should be beneficial for Brazilian wheat, which needs water.
“If it frosts now, it will be a cure for the wheat, as in no area have the plants reached tillering, with all wheat in Rio Grande do Sul still in vegetative development or less than that. So, quite the opposite, frost will be a remedy for wheat, because it helps fight pests and strengthens the plants”, points out T&F senior analyst, Luiz Carlos Pacheco.
According to him, what is really lacking in Rio Grande do Sul is rain, as what occurred was insufficient. In Júlio de Castilhos, Tupanciretã, Joia, Santiago, only six millimeters (mm) fell; São Luiz, Santa Rosa, and surrounding areas 10mm; Ijuí and surrounding areas 15mm; Campo Novo, Palmeira das Missões, Santo Augusto 20/25 mm.
“More needs to come. In a week it needs to rain again. Farmers are taking the opportunity to put urea (nitrogen) in the fields. As there is no forecast of a large volume of rain, there is also no concern about washing this urea”, says Pacheco.
He informs that in Paraná the situation is the same: “What’s really missing is water. In the Apucarana region, in the north of the state, the climate is once again a concern for agriculture, which has been without precipitation for approximately a month and wheat and oat crops are already feeling the lack of humidity, which could harm their production potential. According to Simepar, sudden drops in temperatures are expected, with a risk of frost in the coming days. Wheat and oats are around 40% in vegetative development, and 60% in the flowering and fruiting phases that are susceptible to frost and the concern in development that already exists due to the dry period, now increases with the forecasts of frost (only at south of this region)”.
In the Pato Branco region, in the southwest of the state, as predicted, there were light drizzles with low temperatures in the region since dawn. In Palmas the temperature remained between 4 and 5° C. Precipitation was still low, but beneficial for the germination and development of winter crops that were already feeling the lack of humidity.
“For the entire state, Meteorology predicts greater drops in temperatures from the afternoon onwards for the Region, the cold is expected to intensify. Light to moderate frosts should be recorded in the sectors bordering Paraguay and bordering Mato Grosso do Sul”, concludes Consultoria Trigo & Farinhas.
Source: Agrolink
