SAO PAULO: Soyabean planting in Brazil’s leading producer state Mato Grosso reached 67.7 percent of the expected area, jumping 25.5 percentage points in one week after rains across the grain state set the stage for an early start to the season.

By the end of October 2015, 38 percent of the crop had been planted, the Mato Grosso State Farm Economics Institute (Imea) reported on Friday.

Planting still lags the record in 2013/2014 when 71.7 percent of the area had been seeded by the end of October, though the productive area was smaller then.

“Last year, we had problems with a prolonged dry period. Now it’s starting with rains and people are taking advantage of the moisture,” the technical director of the soyabean producers association in the state Aprosoja, Nery Ribas, said.

But early planting typically means early harvest, which will put drying crops right in the path of some of the wettest months for the grain state, January through March.

Excessive rains could derail harvest at a critical period and damage the quality of the harvested soyabeans.

Producer Felisberto Dornelles, who grows soyabeans in northern Mato Grosso, said farmers are trying to use different varieties that have a longer development period.

Some varieties could be ready for harvesting in 100 days, while others would have longer maturities of up to 120 days.—Reuters