Lack of rain and cold slow soybean planting

According to the Economic Report released by Emater/RS-Ascar last Thursday (23), the sowing of soybeans in Rio Grande do Sul is in its initial phase, reaching 2% of the total planned area. The limited progress is the result of economic and climatic factors, including the strategy of producers to delay planting to reduce the risk of lack of rain in November and December, the prioritization of the harvest of winter cereals, low temperatures, and reduced soil moisture in part of the State. In areas where planting has already begun, producers are carrying out the desiccation of plant covers and adjustments to soil conditions to facilitate sowing. According to Emater/RS-Ascar, many farmers are submitting reports to financial agents to access the line of credit created by the Federal Government to support producers affected by successive crop losses. Despite this, the institution observes a trend of reduced use of fertilizers and greater use of own seeds, a reflection of production ...