Soil moisture increases, but soybean planting remains behind schedule

Mato Grosso, Goiás and Triângulo Mineiro recorded a good increase in soil moisture in the comparison between October 14 and 24, favoring field work, however the NDVI (vegetation index) remains at very low values, still reflecting the delay in soybean planting, points out EarthDaily Agro, a remote sensing company that uses satellite images.

During the period, accumulated precipitation ranged from 30 mm to 100 mm in the strip that extends from Mato Grosso to São Paulo, also covering a large part of the Northeast. The volumes represent 50% to 200% above the average for the region. There is still a need for more rain, mainly in the west of Mato Grosso, north of Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul, according to Felippe Reis, crop analyst at EarthDaily Agro.

The ECMWF (European) and GFS (American) climate models predict above-average rainfall in a strip from Mato Grosso to São Paulo over the next 10 days, a favorable scenario for soybean cultivation. For the south of the country, rainfall is expected to remain 60% to more than 80% below average, according to the ECMWF.

When comparing the average temperature of the last 10 days - in relation to the last 30 days - the heat was less intense, ranging from 1°C to 3°C below average, especially in the Northeast and Central-West. Lower temperatures reduce evapotranspiration, favoring an increase in soil moisture, which is positive for field operations.

In Goiás, after a dry start to the month, rain has returned. As of October 24, accumulated rainfall was 100 mm, above the average for the period (74,3 mm). Both climate models predict more rain in the short term. Humidity should remain above average, which is positive for the development of summer crops.

In Mato Grosso do Sul, even with higher rainfall volumes in October, soil moisture remains below average, but there was still an increase in humidity compared to the levels recorded in September.

In Paraná, soil moisture is below average in a strip that extends from the west to the north of the state and, despite occasional rain, it should remain the same, indicating the need for more rain in the short term for summer crops.

In Rio Grande do Sul, despite the second week of October being marked by high rainfall, the volume of rainfall in the final stretch of the wheat cycle is much lower than that recorded in 2023, when excess rainfall impacted the quality and productivity of the cereal.