Oct 14, 2026
2026/27 Brazil Soybean Planting at a Record Pace
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Despite all the dire warning that El Nino could disrupt the initial soybean planting season in Brazil, the season appears to be getting off to a record start. According to Patria AgroNegocios, soybean planting hit 19.7% as of late last Friday compared to 12.8% last year and 11.5% average. This represents an advance of about 12.5% for the week. AgRural is estimating soybean planting at 15% as of last Thursday compared to 14% last year.
Planting has been favored by the early arrival and satisfactory volumes of rainfall in the main production regions. Planting leaped forward last week with 33.2% planted in Mato Grosso, up a whopping 23% from the prior week. Goias and Mato Grosso do Sul also registered impressive gains. Planting in Parana evolved a little due to excessive rainfall, but the crop is already 36% planted. In recent days, the first areas of Tocantins and Piauí have also started planting. Of the major soybean producing states, only Maranhão and Rio Grande do Sul still had not started planting as of late last week.
These early planted soybeans should be ready for harvest in early January, providing an opportunity to plant the safrinha corn within the ideal planting window, provided that the weather cooperates later in the season. This is certainly a much better start than what had been anticipated just a month ago.
Now for a word of caution. The growing season is just getting started and El Nino could still result in erratic weather during November and December, so it is too early to be adjusting production estimates, but I am more optimistic today than I was a month ago. If this trend continues, Brazil's soybean and corn yields could increase in the weeks ahead.
Rain over the weekend in Brazil favored central and southwestern Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, southern Minas Gerais, Parana, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. Rain will favor southern Brazil today and tomorrow, but rain will spread northward over the course of the week. Rain during the 6-10 day period should favor far northern and south-central growing areas in Brazil. Rondonopolis, Mato Grosso for example, received above average rainfall in September and it has received average rainfall thus far in October.
Mato Grosso - Soybean planting leaped ahead last week in Mato Grosso with 33.2% planted compared to 21.2% last year and 25.3% average according to the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea). This represents an advance of a whopping 23% for the week. The mid-north region is most advanced at 50% planted while the southeastern region has the slowest pace at 21% planted. Below is the soybean planting pace in Mato Grosso for October 9, 2026 from Imea.
Parana - Farmers in Parana had planted 36% of the 2026/27 soybeans as of earlier last week according to the Department of Rural Economics (Deral). This represents an advance of 8% for the week. Soybeans are 31% germinating, 69% in vegetative development, and rated 1% average and 99% good.