Soybean sowing begins at a slow pace in Rio Grande do Sul

Soybean sowing for the 2024/2025 harvest began in Rio Grande do Sul. According to ordinance 1,111, of May 13, 2024, The planting period continues until January 28, 2025. The soybean fallow period, essential to prevent Asian Soybean Rust (ASF), caused by a fungus that affects production, ended on September 30th. Until that date and during the 90 days that preceded it, no producer could have soybean plants. Despite the release for planting, few areas have been sown to date.

According to Elder Dal Pra, coordinator of Plant Health Defense at Emater/RS-Ascar, it is still too early to talk about sowing. “We have few areas being planted. There is a little in the West Regionbut on a low scale”, he pondered.

According to him, the expectation is that the next harvest will not face severe weather and that production in 2024/2025 shows growth. Therefore, although the planting period lasts until January, he believes that most growers will sow by the end of November. Producer Eduardo Gonçalves, from Viamão, is one of those who planting has not yet started. He stated that, due to the rains, he plans to start in November.

Despite the recent rains in RS, Brazil faces, this year, the worst drought recorded since the beginning of the current series historical, in 1950, according to the National Center for Monitoring and Alerts of Natural Disasters (Cemaden). The drought affects an area of 5 million square kilometers – 58% of the national territory and 500,000 more than in 2015. Rio Grande do Sul is also expected to have a drier climate this year.

Even with the weather conditions, data from July this year from Emater/RS-Ascar project an area of 6.8 million hectares for the 2024/2025 soybean harvest in Rio Grande do Sul, an increase of 1.54% compared to last season (6.7 million hectares). Estimates also point to a production of 21.6 million tons of oilseed, compared to 18.2 million tons in the previous harvest, which represents a difference of 18.5%. The predicted average yield is 3,179 kg per hectare, compared to 2,809 kg per hectare last season, a growth of around 13%.

Emater launches Rust Monitor Program on October 14th

On October 14th, Emater will launch the Rust Monitor Program. Every week, technicians release a report so that farmers know what the situation is like in their regions. The Monitora Ferrugem RS Program’s methodological strategy is to detect the presence of spores associated with meteorological conditions, to generate maps indicating the predisposition of the occurrence of FAS and assist technicians and producers in decision-making and adopting disease management measures.

What is a sanitary void?

Established by SDA/Mapa ordinance No. 1,111 (13/05/2024), the soybean sanitary void extended until September 30, 2024 in all regions of the State. During this period, it is prohibited to keep soybean plants alive at any stage of development. The sanitary void varies according to the region of the country.

The policy was instituted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Supply (Mapa) as a phytosanitary measure to control soybean rust, with the obligation of 90 days without the crop or volunteer plants in the field. Asian rust, caused by the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is considered one of the most common diseases most severe impacts on soybean cultivation, which can cause damage ranging from 10% to 90% of production, depending on the region.

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