RS 2024/25 Harvest: soybeans and corn reach final stages

Soybean harvesting in Rio Grande do Sul has reached 80% of the cultivated area, according to Emater/RS. The progress was driven by dry and sunny weather, which favored field operations and reduced fuel consumption. In less humid soils, less wear and tear on machinery and good soil structure facilitated the planting of winter crops.

The low moisture content of the grains, between 12% and 13%, eliminated the need for drying, accelerating the flow. The sequence of dry days also resulted in higher quality grains, with less damage. However, there are still green grains caused by uneven maturation due to water stress and late rains.

In the field, 17% of the crops are mature and 3% are in the process of filling their grains. The quality of the harvest makes it possible to reserve our own seeds. In the Western Border, the weather favored the harvest. In Uruguaiana, yields ranged from 1.200 to 3.000 kg/ha, reflecting irrigation failures. In Quaraí, 20% of the area was harvested, with a productivity of 1.800 kg/ha. In Manoel Viana, the harvest exceeded 75%, with yields between 900 and 2.400 kg/ha.

In São Gabriel, 60% of the area was harvested, with averages between 420 and 600 kg/ha. Irrigated areas reached 2.100 kg/ha. In Hulha Negra, 40% was harvested, with yields between 600 and 3.000 kg/ha. In Aceguá, the average rose to 2.520 kg/ha. In Dom Pedrito, the harvest reached 42%, with yields of up to 2.100 kg/ha.

In the Caxias do Sul region, the harvest reached 90%, with an average productivity of 3.200 kg/ha, 15% below expectations. In Frederico Westphalen, 93% of the area has been harvested, with an average of 2.425 kg/ha. In Ijuí, 95% of the soybeans have already been harvested. In Passo Fundo, 5% remains to be harvested. In Pelotas, 39% has been harvested. In Santa Maria, the harvest exceeded 70%, but losses reach 50%. In Soledade, the harvest has reached 85%.

In Santa Rosa, 82% of the area has been harvested. Physiological maturity has reached 12% of the areas. Another 6% are still filling. Second-season crops are doing well, despite the infestation of pigweed. The control of Asian rust and bedbugs (here e here) remains active.

Corn situation

The corn harvest in Rio Grande do Sul has reached 89% of the cultivated area, according to a survey by Emater/RS. The increase, of just one percentage point in the last week, reflects the slow and staggered pace of the operation, mainly in regions of family farming. In these areas, part of the grain is reserved for internal consumption on the properties.

In the northeast of the state, where larger-scale crops predominate, the harvest is proceeding at a faster pace. The 4% of crops still in the development phase show good production potential, benefiting from rains at critical times and mild temperatures, which favored photosynthesis.

Producers are already preparing for the 2025/2026 harvest. Sowing of cover crops, such as forage radish, precedes desiccation. When purchasing seeds, demand is growing for early cultivars that are tolerant to the corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis).

In the Bagé region, dry weather favors the loss of moisture in the grains, allowing the harvest to begin. In Caçapava do Sul, areas with low technological levels suffer from the effects of the drought. Average productivity there is only 1.200 kg/ha.

In Alegrete, the harvest of late crops is progressing. In Caxias do Sul, the operation is nearing completion in municipalities such as Muitos Capões and Vacaria. In Serra and Hortênsias, the pace is slower, with completion scheduled for July.

Ijuí has ​​practically finished harvesting, with only second-crop crops remaining. corn leafhopper It has an incidence, with symptoms of stunting and some cases of plant lodging.

In the Pelotas region, the harvest has reached 51%, with an average productivity of 4.200 kg/ha. Santa Rosa has recorded 92% of the area harvested. In Soledade, work is progressing on late-seeded crops, with 67% already harvested.