SAO PAULO: Brazilian farmers have harvested 61.8% of their second corn in center-south fields, up roughly 9 percentage points from last week, agribusiness consultancy AgRural said on Monday.

Harvesting so far in the 2021/22 season totaled some 50 million tonnes, AgRural said in a report, noting that work is gaining pace in states such as Parana and Mato Grosso do Sul amid a recent improvement in grain humidity.

The consultancy firm, however, warned that in the coming days “a temperature drop and some rains may cause grain humidity to rise again in both states.” AgRural expects Brazil’s second corn crop to reach 87.3 million tonnes in 2021/22, a steep rise from the 60.7 million tonnes seen in the previous season, which saw weather problems and part of the crop planted outside the ideal climate window.

The second crop represents about 75% of corn production in the South American agricultural powerhouse in a given year, with corn being planted after soybeans are harvested.