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Brazil’s safrinha crop facing potential challenges

The chief science fellow with Nutrien Ag Solutions says Brazil could be facing challenges with its second corn crop.

Eric Snodgrass says some areas of the country are dry.

“The eastern growing regions that are about 20 to 25% of their total safrinha acres, they’re looking dry right now.”  He says, “We think they’re going to be looking dry more often than not between now into April and May.”

He tells Brownfield it’s the first real weather issue Brazil has faced this growing season.  

“We didn’t really get one out of soybeans.”  He says, “Remember, the monsoon typically slows down mid to late April and shuts off at some point in May.  So, anything that would cause that to happen a bit earlier than normal could actually give us a real story on safrina corn.  Right about the time we’re trying to plant a corn crop here in the United States.”

Snodgrass says Brazil’s safrinha crop represents about 75% of the country’s corn production, so any challenges could be beneficial to U.S. corn farmers.

AUDIO: Eric Snodgrass – Nutrien Ag Solutions