Rain in Portions Of Center-South Brazil To Delay Fieldwork
By Andrew Owen
Kansas City, May 19 (World Weather Inc.) – Interior southern and portions of center-south Brazil received enough rain during the past week to periodically slow or delay fieldwork. The ground is saturated and rain continues to fall too often to support the best crop maturation and drying conditions. Rain will continue falling periodically in this coming week, but crops will not be seriously harmed. Drier weather would certainly benefit most crops from Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraguay to Parana, Santa Catarina and neighboring areas, 
but such conditions are likely for any prolonged period of time.
Main season crops are out of the ground while second season corn is filling and maturing. Cotton is maturating in portions of Mato Grosso and Bahia. Scattered showers will often produce enough rain to slow or delay fieldwork in several portions of center-south Brazil through the end of the weekend. Dry weather will help firm up the topsoil most days next week. Fieldwork delays could extend into the beginning and middle of next week for areas that receive the greatest amount of rain.
Rio Grande do Sul reported the greatest amount of rain during the past week with moisture totals ranging from 1.05 to 3.00 inches. Areas from Santa Catarina through southern and central Mato Grosso do Sul, Sao Paulo and southern and central Minas Gerais received 0.30 to 0.90 inch with a few amounts to 1.60 inches. One location in central Goias reported 1.30 inches of rain while the remaining production areas were dry or mostly dry. Temperatures were close to normal in northern Brazil and near to below average in the south.
Far southern Brazil and pockets in Parana and Mato Grosso do Sul were excessively wet in the topsoil early this week while Mato Grosso, Goias, Minas Gerais, and Bahia were short to very short of moisture. Drought remains quite serious in these more northern areas, but the region will have little 
to no opportunity for meaningful rain until spring and probably not until October.
Second season corn is primarily produced in Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Parana with neighboring areas of Goias and Sao Paulo also contributing. The recent rain in Mato Grosso do Sul likely slowed maturation rates. Corn growth and maturation conditions have otherwise been favorable so far in May. The harvest normally begins in June and continues through August. Dry and warm weather would be welcome in the coming weeks to promote the best environment for the corn.
Cotton in Mato Grosso and Bahia matured under a favorable environment during the past week. Harvesting normally occurs in June and July with some late harvesting in the first part of August as well.
Winter wheat planting normally wraps up soon, but rain delays has some planting still left to be completed. The timely rain was beneficial for aggressive establishment and development during the past week. Planting will continue through the first part of June in southern Brazil.
Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will evolve on a frequent basis in portions of center-south and southern Brazil through the end of the weekend. A few lingering showers will produce light rain in Minas Gerais and neighboring areas at the beginning of next week with some more light showers in Mato Grosso and neighboring areas during the middle and latter part of next week. Areas from Santa Catarina through Mato Grosso do Sul, Sao Paulo, and southern Minas Gerais will receive 0.50 to 2.00 inches of rain with locally greater amounts for the seven day period ending next Thursday morning. Goias will receive a 0.25 to 1.00 inch of rain with locally greater amounts. Bahia, Mato Grosso, and Rio Grande do Sul will only receive up to 0.50 inch of rain with many production areas trending dry or mostly dry.
Corn maturation will again be slowed in portions of Mato Grosso do Sul due to rainfall during the next several days. Maturation conditions will improve next week once the ground has a chance to firm.
Winter wheat establishment and development conditions will remain favorable in some center-south and far southern Brazil locations, but drier weather is needed to get more of the crop in the ground. Too much rain can result in short root systems and delayed planting and establishment. Cotton maturation and early harvesting will also advance swiftly.
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