Soybean yields vary from 40 to 100 sacks per hectare in C.Vale areas under the influence of La Niña.

The influence of La Niña was present throughout the 2025/26 soybean crop season in the regions where the C.Vale Cooperative operates, but the weather patterns were decisive in producing very different results between states, municipalities, and even within the same farms. Some areas had yields of 80, 90, and even 100 sacks per hectare, while others were close to 40 sacks, reflecting irregular rainfall, hail, prolonged droughts, and, in some cases, excessive water at the end of the cycle.

In Paraná, producers in the warmer regions were able to start planting early in September, coinciding with the opening of the agricultural zoning period. The initial phase benefited from regular rainfall, but from the end of the year onwards, precipitation became more spaced out and localized, resulting in significant yield variations. “We had yields of 80, 90, and even 100 sacks per hectare, but on average, the yield was between 65 and 70 sacks,” says Fernando Taffarel Zanelato, supervisor of the Agronomic Department at C.Vale.

In Campo Mourão, in the central-west region of Paraná state, farmer Claudir Bernardi cultivated 194 hectares of soybeans. The crop was hit by hail, requiring the replanting of 150 hectares. Throughout the growing season, he controlled stink bugs and applied fungicides three times. The final yield was 65 sacks per hectare.

Central-West with contrasting realities

Technical consultant Diórgenes Rossi and producer Claudir Bernardi examine a plant in the field before harvest – Photo: Courtesy of C.Vale

In Mato Grosso do Sul, the weather patterns were marked by contrasts. Regions in the southern half of the state, south of Campo Grande, experienced droughts and high temperatures. Meanwhile, the northern half, in areas like Chapadão do Sul, received regular and significant amounts of rain.

Producers in Mato Grosso do Sul cultivated 4.7 million hectares with soybeans this harvest. The National Supply Company projected an average productivity of 52.8 sacks per hectare in the state. "The southern region of Mato Grosso do Sul had a productivity approximately 40% higher than that of the 2024/25 harvest," points out Jeferson Salatti, regional manager of the cooperative in Mato Grosso do Sul.

In Mato Grosso, the country's largest grain producer, the weather was favorable until practically the end of the cycle. However, starting in February, intense and prolonged rains affected the quality and weight of the grains. More susceptible cultivars suffered from end-of-cycle diseases and lost yield. "The average productivity was lower than last season's precisely because of these rains," assesses Renato Rambo, regional manager of the cooperative in the state.

Drought impacts harvest in Rio Grande do Sul.

In Rio Grande do Sul, the weather pattern of recent years has repeated itself. The drought has hit the crops again, with a more severe impact in the western border areas. The rains returned in the second half of February and temporarily halted the losses, but a new dry period set in between the end of February and the beginning of March, limiting the productive recovery of the affected areas.