Rice planting progresses, and the area may still change.

Planting rice The 2026/27 harvest is progressing in Rio Grande do Sul, while weather, prices, and the availability of planting windows may still influence the final cultivated area. According to Sergio Cardoso, an analyst in the supply chain... riceThe state has already sown 89,451 hectares, equivalent to 10.38% of the current intended 861,779 hectares.

However, the progress is heavily concentrated in the Western Border region. Of the hectares already planted in the state, 84,488 are in this region, representing approximately 94% of the total sown to date.

The concentration is related to the weather conditions recorded at the beginning of the work. Despite the expectation of a rainier spring under the influence of El Niño, rainfall in the Western Border region has not yet occurred with the expected intensity. This has opened windows that have allowed producers to accelerate sowing. IRGA had already pointed to the region as an exception given the excessive rainfall observed in other areas of Rio Grande do Sul.

For the coming weeks, however, the scenario demands attention. IRGA's projection continues to indicate a spring with above-normal rainfall and more restricted planting periods, especially given the strengthening of El Niño.

Besides the weather, price behavior can influence producers' decisions. The intended area of 861,800 hectares was defined in a different market environment than the current one. With the recent recovery in prices and almost 90% of the planned area still to be sown, there is room for a possible revision of the planting intention.

In the coming weeks, price, weather, and planting window will be central to decisions. In the Western Border region, conditions have allowed for faster progress so far, but the continuation of this pace and a possible change in the final area planted will depend on the behavior of these three factors.