en.Wedoany.com Reported - Marcelo Fraga, business manager of the Colonia branch of Copagran, stated that the sowing area for rapeseed and carinata has reached 70%, barley 35%, and wheat 25% to 30%. With the soybean harvest concluded, winter sowing has begun in southern Uruguay, but progress has been slowed by climatic conditions.

Fraga noted that all sowing will be completed, but progress is slow due to poor soil conditions. The most notable change this season is the reallocation of planting area toward first-season crops, especially corn, a trend Fraga says has not been seen in the region for years. He explained that double-cropping previously offered better protection for producers, but such a large-scale shift to first-season crops has not been observed in a long time.

This shift is driven by multiple factors, including yield challenges for winter crops, production costs and breakeven points, and the potential threat of El Niño to the upcoming spring and summer seasons. Additionally, the area dedicated to forage crops has expanded significantly, with a substantial increase in seed multiplication for clover, lotus, alfalfa, oats, ryegrass, and fescue. Fraga indicated that producers are diversifying their livestock operations while simultaneously betting on both meat production and seed production.

Facing a rainy spring, producers are considering which forage or grain-based feed crops can better withstand risks. Regarding El Niño, Fraga is cautious. He pointed out that more accurate forecasting models are just beginning to emerge, predicting above-normal rainfall, but uncertainty remains regarding intensity and timing. If rainfall occurs in spring or at the end of the year, the situation would be entirely different. This uncertainty is one of the factors driving producers to diversify and reduce exposure to a single crop.

This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com