Soybean sowing is 98.2% complete in Brazil; corn 90%: Conab

Soybean sowing reached 98.2%% complete in Brazil as of January 1, up 0.4 percentage points on the previous week, the latest report from the country’s food agency Conab showed late Monday.

Planting was 99% complete at the same period last year based on figures for 12 states representing 97% of the total area, which is currently estimated at 40.3 million hectares.

Only Maranhão, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul are still sowing, but all are 90% complete or more.

The sowing of the first corn crop has also reached 90% complete, a 1.7 percentage points weekly advance.

At the same point last year, planting was 88.5% complete.

The figures cover nine states, which represent 92% of the expected 4.5 million hectares.

Sowing is close to the end in Santa Catarina, and is still happening in another four states.

The first corn crop harvest has started in the southern states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul and reached 2.3% complete on January 1, a 2.1 percentage points weekly advance and above last year’s 1.4% figure of complete.