Image: Pixabay
The corn harvest worries producers across the country. With the expectation of rain last weekend, there was optimism in the South. But the precipitation came lightly or not at all. The most serious situation is observed in Paraná, the second largest national producer of the grain, where the cold front did not pass through the state and headed towards Mato Grosso do Sul.
The situation is also critical in the west of Santa Catarina where producers need corn to guarantee the supply of pig and chicken farms. Both states still suffer from attacks by the corn leafhopper that caused losses in the first harvest.
According to the Department of Rural Economy of the Paraná Department of Agriculture (Deral), this is a critical phase for those who planted later, as the plant needs water to develop and there are days when most municipalities do not record good rain. Those who planted at the end of January, beginning of February, are still in a calmer situation and shouldn't have much failure, but some 60% of corn crops in the Southwest region should be affected in some way by the drought.
{module Form RD}
A critical situation is also in neighboring Mato Grosso do Sul. Excess and lack of rain delayed planting, hampered development and should impact productivity. According to an estimate from the Agribusiness Geographic Information System (Siga MS), with the completion of sowing, the projection is to harvest 9.013 million tons of corn. The number represents a drop of 15% compared to the last harvest.
According to information from meteorologists, a new front could rise to the south/southeast on May 3rd. Before then, a cold wave is expected to arrive. If there is an incidence of frost, the crop may be even more damaged.
On the other hand, the climate favors producers from the North/Northeast and Matopiba. The rains coming from the Amazon, which joined the fronts coming from the Atlantic, brought humidity and rain to an extensive agricultural region of the country. The opening of the weather is allowing producers in the central north to harvest one of the best harvests ever.
By: Eliza Maliszewski | agrolink
