Delay in the harvest of soybeans in Paraguay might affect the production of chia seeds

Chia Seed

Published Mar 1, 2021

Paraguay had suffered from droughts last year that delayed the sowing of soybeans, which in turn is now affecting the usual harvesting period by more than a month. Chia, the winter crop for the soybean fields, is generally planted between the seasons of soybean. However, the majority of farmers might not produce the chia this season due to the late harvest of soybeans. Weather forecasts show that the harvest of soybeans can be delayed further due to the rainfall expected in March.

The Chia seed production in Paraguay has been gaining notoriety for the past few years, and today it supplies around half of the world’s demand for this product. The chia was introduced as a winter crop for the off-season of soybean fields due to its short cycle. According to Tridge’s Regional Manager in Brazil, Rene Barreto, who has spoken to Paraguayan traders regarding the soybean harvest situation for this season, has reported that due to the delay in the soybean harvest, there will be a very short window of time to plant the chia. Many producers might have no other option than to let the soil rest for the next soybean season and not be able to plant chia this season.

Paraguay: No.1 chia producer in 2020

Chia production in Paraguay started around ten years ago when studies proved its extensive nutritional value and became a sought-after super-food. The farmers saw an opportunity to grow this popular seed since it adapted very well to Paraguay’s soil and climate conditions. By 2020, the country became the largest producer and exporter of chia. More than 21.5 thousand MT was exported to close to 50 countries in the last crop season, bringing USD 47.9 million in revenues.

Delay in soybean harvest

The soybean sowing starts in September in the Northern part of Paraguay, and in October in the country’s center, the harvest reaches its peak by mid-February generally. Last year, the harvest of soybean was done in more than 50% of the planted area around mid-February, but this year the harvest is still at its early stages, and it is expected to reach its peak in March. The delay in the harvest is mainly due to two reasons:

The constant rain during the final stages of maturation of the soybeans elevated the bean’s humidity, unabling its harvest. The moisture increases the chances of molding, sprouting of the beans, and drying costs. Furthermore, the wet soil prevents the use of heavy harvesting machinery.

Paraguay was facing a severe drought during 2020 due to the La Niña. By November, it had only received 50% of the usual rain volume for the year, and the sowing of the 2020/21 crop was delayed due to low soil moisture, and it ended with a 60 days delay.

Farmers are also concerned about the yields of their lands. The crop harvested at the end of January had yields of around 1.2 MT per hectare, usually, the yields achieve close to 2.8 MT of yields during January, showing a reduced production of more than 50%. The estimated planted area affected by this reduced yield is up to 600,000 hectares, representing around 16.7% of the total estimated soybean planted area of 3.6 million hectares in Paraguay. The peak is yet to come, and the estimated volume is still challenging to predict. However, the farmers expect a normal harvest volume between 9 to 10 million MT for this MY.

Paraguay weather forecast in March

The weather in Asuncion finished February with stable sunny days with temperatures above 30s degrees Celsius. Starting March, the country is expected to be on the route of a humid mass of air, bringing rains for the first week of March. Soybean harvests might be affected once again by the arriving rains.