AgRural cuts Center-South Brazil 2019-20 second corn output forecast 2% to 67.9 million mt

New Delhi — Center-South Brazil is forecast to produce 67.9 million mt of corn in the second 2019-20 crop, down from a 69.2 million mt forecast made in March, Brazil-based agriculture consultancy AgRural said Monday.

The CS region contains the producing states of Parana, Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Goias.

Last season, the second, or safrinha, corn crop in CS Brazil totaled 69.3 million mt, AgRural said in the report.

The new forecast, combined with national agricultural agency Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento's (Conab) March figures for the North or Northeast regions, puts the country's entire 2019-20 safrinha crop estimate at 71.6 million mt, down from 73.2 million mt in 2018-19, the report said.

AgRural does not prepare estimates for corn grown in the Northeast region.

The agency lowered its safrinha estimate due to late planting of corn in some regions and dry weather in southern parts of Brazil.

"Good rains recorded last week led to relief to safrinha corn crops in Parana, Mato Grosso do Sul and Sao Paulo. The predominantly dry weather forecast for the remainder of April still requires caution," the report said.

Brazil's first corn crop is planted during September-December and harvested in February-May, while the safrinha crop is planted in February-March and harvested in June-July.

In its April survey Conab said corn production in the country is likely to be around 101.9 million mt in 2019-20, up from 100.0 million mt in the previous crop year.