RS Harvest 2025/26: recurring rains favor soybean crops

Soybean planting has reached 93% of the projected area for Rio Grande do Sul for the 2025/2026 crop season, which is 6.742.236 hectares with an average yield of 3.180 kg/ha. According to the Conjunctural Report released by Emater/RS this Tuesday (December 30th), there has been a significant slowdown in planting due to recurring heavy rainfall and short dry spells, which did not allow for adequate soil moisture reduction for seeders to operate.

Most areas (93%) are in the vegetative phase, and flowering is beginning for the earliest soybean crops (7%). Soybean crops planted early in the period show high vegetative vigor, resulting from a combination of water availability, high temperatures, and satisfactory solar radiation.

The best crops are planted in well-structured soils with higher organic matter content and adequate vegetation cover, which favor water infiltration and storage. Conversely, in crops planted in more compacted soils or with less cover, sheet and rill erosion are observed, especially in emerging crops. Sowings carried out under less favorable moisture conditions, particularly after periods of water deficit followed by heavy rains, have resulted in cases of uneven emergence, stand failures, and occasional replanting needs.

In some areas, especially in the Northwest of Rio Grande do Sul, the high rainfall totals in December exceeded the historical average, causing damage to rural infrastructure and secondary roads, as well as localized flooding in crops located in riverside areas and lower-lying terrain, in addition to more significant erosion in poorly maintained hillsides.

Corn 

The climatic conditions of the period, characterized by frequent rainfall and adequate volumes, favored the recovery of the crop after the water shortage observed in November. Crop development is considered satisfactory in most of the state, with expected yields comparable to the historical average, although localized losses persist in areas affected by the drought at critical stages.

Corn planting has reached 92% of the planned area of ​​785.030 hectares and is complete in several regions. In the remaining areas, planting is progressing as land occupied by other crops or replanting for the off-season becomes available. Most crops are in the reproductive phase, predominantly grain filling, followed by areas in physiological maturity and the beginning of harvesting. The phytosanitary situation is adequate. Although there are reports of the presence of corn leafhoppers and caterpillars, there are not many symptoms of stunting, and control measures are underway.

Corn silage 

There has been good recovery reported in several regions due to the volume of rainfall during the period. Productivity losses caused at the beginning of the month are being mitigated by the recovery of soil moisture due to regular rainfall. Only in the Northwest Border region, where corn harvesting is paralyzed due to the volume of rainfall and high soil moisture, are there reports of problems caused by excessive precipitation. In other regions, conditions are good, as are productivity expectations. According to estimates from Emater/RS, the area destined for corn silage should reach 366.067 hectares, and the estimated productivity is 38.338 kg/ha.

Rice 

Rice planting in the state is in its final phase, reaching 97% of the area planned by the Rio Grande do Sul Rice Institute (Irga), which is 920.081 hectares. The period was marked by a high frequency of rainfall with large accumulated volumes, which restricted field operations, such as late plantings and the execution of crop management practices.

Rice crops are in vegetative development (97%), gradually advancing towards the reproductive period in the earliest areas, where the beginning of flowering is observed (3%). The high cloud cover recorded during the period limited the full use of solar radiation, resulting in moderate vegetative growth in some areas. Overall, crop establishment is considered adequate.

Rainfall significantly contributed to the recovery and maintenance of water sources, reducing the immediate need for supplemental irrigation and increasing the water reserves available for the crop cycle. However, localized flooding was recorded on rural roads and in fields located in lower-lying areas near watercourses, with a higher incidence in the central region of the state, causing damage to embankments and requiring maintenance interventions. The operational difficulties imposed by the rains also hampered technical management in the fields.

1st Harvest Beans 

Rainfall has benefited the crop, cultivated in Rio Grande do Sul across 26.096 hectares, which was impacted by the water deficit recorded between mid-November and the first ten days of December. In most regions, crop development is recovering and the cycle is progressing satisfactorily. Field activities remain conditioned by frequent rainfall, which has imposed operational restrictions in specific areas, especially for sowing and harvesting. However, there are no reports, to date, of significant impacts on the average state productivity, projected by Emater/RS at 1.779 kg/ha.