Where and when soybeans grow
In the US, soybeans are planted from late April to June and harvested from late September to November, mainly across Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and the northern Plains. August, when pods fill, is the month that makes or breaks yields.
Brazil plants from mid-September to December and harvests from January to April, led by Mato Grosso, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. Argentina plants from November to January and harvests from April to June, with the core zone in Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Santa Fe.
Reports that move the market
The benchmark futures contract is CBOT soybeans, alongside soybean meal and soybean oil. The releases traders watch most closely:
- USDA WASDE and Crop Production, monthly
- USDA Crop Progress and condition ratings, weekly in season
- USDA Export Sales, weekly, for Chinese demand
- Prospective Plantings (end of March), Acreage and Grain Stocks (end of June)
- CONAB crop surveys for Brazil, monthly
- Buenos Aires Grain Exchange and Rosario Board of Trade crop reports for Argentina
Weather windows to watch
Watch heat and dryness in the US Midwest in July and August, planting rains in central Brazil in October and November, and dryness in southern Brazil and Argentina from December to March. La Niña years have often brought drought to Argentina and southern Brazil.
Following soybeans in Kommody
Kommody weights weather by soybean area in each producing region, tracks speculator positioning in CBOT soybeans, meal and oil from the COT report, scores soybean news for sentiment and lists every soybean report in the release calendar.
Frequently asked questions
- Which country produces the most soybeans?
- Brazil, followed by the United States and Argentina. Brazil is also the largest exporter.
- When is the Brazilian soybean harvest?
- Mostly from January to April, starting in Mato Grosso and moving south.