RS 2024/25 Harvest: soybean harvest reaches 98% of the area

Dry weather accelerated the soybean harvest in Rio Grande do Sul, which reached 98% of the cultivated area, according to Emater/RS. The lack of rain in April favored grain dehydration, but caused losses due to natural threshing. The remaining 2% includes replanted areas, floodplains with late cultivars and crops sown at the end of January.

Average soybean yield was reassessed to 1.957 kg/ha, a 38,43% drop from the 3.179 kg/ha estimated before planting. Yields range from 1.388 kg/ha in Bagé to 3.225 kg/ha in Caxias do Sul. The disparity reflects the irregular distribution of rainfall and other factors such as sowing time, management and investment in inputs, reduced by financial constraints.

Despite recent rains, the stable weather ensures that operations will continue and should allow the harvest to be completed in the remaining areas. In the West, rainfall caused local erosion, without significant impact on areas already harvested.

Corn harvesting reached 94%. Rains temporarily interrupted work, but without delays. 4% of the crops remain at maturity and 2% at grain filling. Rainfall improved soil moisture and the physiological conditions of the plants. The subsequent sunny weather, with mild temperatures, favored crop development, albeit at a slow pace. Strong winds damaged part of the crops, which could be used for silage or grazing.

Average corn productivity was revised to 6.857 kg/ha, a reduction of 3,6% compared to the initial 7.116 kg/ha. The corn silage harvest reached 96%. The moisture recovered in the cobs contributed to the nutritional quality of the forage. Silage productivity fell 6,52%, reaching 35.934 kg/ha compared to the projected 38.440 kg/ha.

Rice yields recovered slightly, rising from 8.478 kg/ha to 8.558 kg/ha, an increase of 0,9%. The area planted for the 2024/2025 harvest is 970.194 hectares, 7,8% higher than the previous harvest. Production is expected to reach 8,30 million tons, an increase of 15,3% compared to the 7,20 million tons harvested in 2023/2024, according to Irga.

The first bean harvest was completed, with productivity reassessed at 1.870 kg/ha, 4,7% above the 1.786 kg/ha projected. Despite the good performance of rice and beans, the total estimate for grains in the 2024/2025 summer harvest fell to 26,47 million tons. This represents a 24,6% decrease compared to the 35,07 million tons initially forecast.