The climatic rollercoaster of the South American crop

By Geraldo José G. Isoldi, Agricultural Markets Analyst for King Korn

Happy New Year and as you may have heard, we have been facing some isolated issues related to the lack of rainfall, mainly in Rio Grande do Sul and certain regions of Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul. However, the rest of the country is in good condition, with high yield potential that should offset, at least partially, any losses in the areas affected by the drought.

Even so, the situation here is not yet critical and, for now, remains merely a concern with no expectation of worsening, according to the climate consultancy World Weather. Although topsoil moisture in these regions has been depleted, subsoil moisture levels still range from marginal to adequate, which is sufficient, for the time being, to prevent plant stress and consequent productivity losses. The consultancy also reported that lower temperatures and more consistent rainfall are expected to help replenish moisture in the region spanning southern Mato Grosso do Sul to the southernmost part of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul) between Jan.… Continue reading