Apr 03, 2025
Soybean Yields in Rio Grande do Sul Estimated at 33.7 bu/ac
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul is the last major soybean producing state to harvest soybeans. As of late last week, the soybeans in the state were 24% harvested and 40% of the remaining soybeans were maturing according to Emater.
Soybean yields are highly variable depending on the weather during the growing season. Emater is currently estimating statewide soybean yield at 37.3 sacks per hectare (33.7 bu/ac). The lowest yields are being reported from the dryer areas in the western part of the state with the highest yields coming from irrigated soybeans in the central part of the state.
At the start of the growing season, soybean rust was the principal disease impacting the crop. Starting in January, hot and dry conditions encouraged a proliferation of thrips and mites.
Farmers are reporting that the soybean plants are not maturing uniformly with pods that are dry and ready for harvest while many of the stems are still green. If that is the case, it is recommended that farmers apply a desiccant seven to ten days ahead of harvest to dry down the stems uniformly and harvest the crop at 14 to 15% moisture.
For some farmers in the state, this is the fourth year in a row of disappointing soybean yields. Last year, the crop was impacted by floods and two years prior to that, drought was the problem.