From November 2025 to January 2026, soybeans in central–southern Brazil progressed from sowing into rapid vegetative growth. First-season maize in the same region advanced from planting to vegetative and early reproductive stages. In contrast, maize in the Northeast was constrained by water deficits, showing marked spatial disparities in development. Meanwhile, second-season maize planting began successively, and its performance will be updated in subsequent monitoring periods.

According to CropWatch (Figure 2.4/2.5), Brazil’s soybean planting area reached 49.211 million hectares, expanding sharply by 13.9% in response to strong international demand. However, early-season drought reduced average yield to 3.57 t/ha, down 8.8% from last year. Despite initial water stress in some regions, the substantial expansion in planting area provided a solid foundation for total production. Overall, the area increase more than offset the yield decline, resulting in a 3.9% rise in soybean output to 175.74 million tonnes.

In contrast, first-season maize area remained stable at 4.205 million hectares (Figure 2.4), with a decline of 0.2%. However, insufficient rainfall during the critical growth period constrained biomass accumulation and sharply reduced yield to 6.60 t/ha, down 13.2% from the previous year. The pronounced yield loss led directly to a 13.4% decline in production, totaling 27.74 million tonnes.

CropWatch indicates that national agrometeorological conditions were slightly drier than the 15-year average, with precipitation 11% below normal and biomass accumulation 3% lower. Although total rainfall was below average, its temporal distribution was more even than in the 2024–25 season. In particular, rainfall recovery after December alleviated stress during key growth stages.

Overall, strong market demand drove a substantial expansion in soybean area. Despite weather-related yield pressure, soybean production increased steadily. By contrast, maize output declined significantly due to yield losses, despite stable planting area. As most cropland in Brazil remains rainfed, improving field water management and strengthening early warning systems during critical reproductive stages are essential. Close attention should also be paid to rainfall distribution and its potential impact on second-season maize yields.

Figure 2.4 Brazil major crop type map  during November 2025 to January 2026

Figure 2.5 Brazil soybean yield map during November 2025 to January 2026