Timely rain benefits wheat and fruit and vegetable crops in Alto Paraná

Heavy rain that fell across Alto Paraná has brought relief to farmers growing wheat, melons, tomatoes, squash, watermelons and other horticultural products.

The National Meteorology Directorate recorded 78.1 millimetres in Ciudad del Este, 42.7 millimetres in Minga Guazú and 36 millimetres in Puerto Paranambú, in southern Alto Paraná. Virgilio Ramírez of the Central Association of Horticultural Producers said many crops had already needed water and had been kept alive through irrigation for several weeks.

“This rain arrived just in time because it was already needed. Irrigation is not enough; when rain does not fall from the sky, crops do not grow as they should and fertilizer does not work as it should,” Ramírez said. He said producers now expect abundant harvests.

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This rain arrived just in time because it was already needed. Irrigation is not enough; when rain does not fall from the sky, crops do not grow as they should and fertilizer does not work as it should.

The rain also benefited wheat, which is in its grain-filling stage. Rubén Sanabria of the Agricultural Coordination of Alto Paraná said the main harvest should begin around the second half of September. Some areas experienced hail, but the hail was light and caused no major reported damage.

Sanabria said the rain fell heavily but had not harmed fields. Some maize remains to be harvested, and further rain or wind could delay the work or knock plants down. Paraguay is estimated to have 450,000 hectares of wheat, including about 90,000 in Alto Paraná. Maize covers more than 1 million hectares nationally, with about 200,000 in the department. Early harvests have yielded 4,800 to 5,000 kilograms per hectare on average, while fluctuating prices continue to concern producers.

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The rain fell very heavily, but there was no damage in the fields. It benefits the wheat, and we still have some maize being harvested. This could delay the harvest and, if there is some wind, it could knock the plants down and cause damage, but we have no reports of losses.