Harvest has started in Mato Grosso

By Eduardo Paim:

Here in the northern state of Mato Grosso we are beginning to harvest, we have no way to speak of average production because the harvested area is small . The weather has been very helpful for harvest and producers are happy.  Usually every day we are having rain in the late afternoon and harvest during the morning and most of the afternoon with a good sun helping dry the pods . The rains from late afternoon will help soybeans planted later to develop and fill the grain . In southern Mato Grosso this year we are finding that producers are drying soybeans early in order to plant more maize, and thus have more rainfall and better maize production . In southern Mato Grosso they are always beginning the scoop on January 15 , normally after February 5 but the producers are wanting more and better planted corn production , if prices are not good the corn is fed to livestock , I have observed that each year more producers are raising cattle and giving them corn to fatten them , or if the price is right they sell .