First corn planting enters final stretch in CS Brazil; at 91% of projected area: AgRural

New Delhi — First corn planting in the Center-South region of Brazil for 2020-21 has entered the final stretch, reaching 91% of the projected area as of Nov. 19, above the year-ago level of 82%, Brazil-based consultancy AgRural said Nov. 23.

Planting work is complete in the southern region of the country and is now concentrated in Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo and Goias, the agency said.

Even though the pace of planting is above the five-year average, the agency said concerns of yield losses remain in the southern states due to irregular rains.

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

Brazil's corn production is forecast at a record 104.89 million mt in 2020-21, up 2.3% year on year, Brazil's national agricultural agency, Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento (Conab), said in its most recent forecast on Nov. 10.

First corn production in Brazil is pegged at 26.5 million mt in 2020-21, up 3.1% from the previous season, while second corn output is forecast at 76.76 million mt, up 2.3%, the report showed.

Most of the country's first corn crop is consumed by the local animal protein industry, which is concentrated in the southern states.

Although Brazil is the second-largest exporter of corn in the world, southern states often have to import corn from neighboring countries such as Argentina and Paraguay. More than 55% of Brazil's corn production comes from the Center-West region and transporting the corn to the southern states is expensive.