भाषा:

Brazil’s crop agency Conab expects a record 181.6 million tonnes of soybeans and a record 148.0 million tonnes of corn in the 2026/27 season. The forecast was released on 15 October 2026 and reported on 30 October. Brazil is the world’s biggest soybean exporter, so a big crop there matters to every feed buyer, including Indian poultry and dairy farmers who rely on soybean meal for protein.

Key facts

ItemDetail (Conab, 15 Oct 2026)
Soybean production 2026/27Record 181.6 million tonnes
Soybean area49.3 million hectares, up 1.4%, the smallest rise in 20 years
Soybean yieldExpected to fall about 0.8%
Corn production 2026/27Record 148.0 million tonnes
Corn area23.7 million hectares, up 4.9%
First-crop corn area4.54 million hectares, up 10.7%
China bookings9.04 million tonnes of Brazil’s 2026/27 soybeans (Rio Times)
Chicago soybean meal, 3 Nov$318.00 per short ton, a 2.5-month low (Pro Farmer)

These are forecasts. The Brazilian crop is still being planted and will be harvested early next year.

Why a record is expected

The record comes from area, not yield. Conab says soybean area is growing at the slowest rate in 20 years, because producers have narrower margins after several years of softer world prices, and yield is expected to slip about 0.8% against last season’s unusually high yields. Even so, the total is a record. Corn area rises faster, by 4.9%, and first-crop corn area by 10.7%, because producers expect better domestic prices in the second half of 2026 and possibly stronger export demand.

The market has been reacting. On 3 November, Chicago soybean meal fell to a 2.5-month low of $318.00 per short ton, as harvest selling met a large expected South American crop. The demand side is uncertain too: Rio Times reports that Chinese buyers have booked 9.04 million tonnes of Brazilian beans, while US purchases are held back by large stocks and thin crushing margins.

What it means for Indian farmers

Soybean meal is the main protein in broiler and layer rations and an important protein source in dairy concentrate. A big South American crop tends to keep world meal prices soft, and that limits how far Indian meal can rise before feed mills look at alternatives. It also makes Indian soymeal exports harder when our rates are higher than world rates.

But Indian rates are set locally. They follow our own soybean crop, crushing, the soy oil market and demand, and imports of genetically modified meal are tightly controlled. So a record crop in Brazil is a cushion, not a guarantee of cheaper feed. The Brazilian crop is also months from harvest, and weather in South America can still change the picture. We are giving our reading of the effect, not a price forecast.

Corn is the other side. A record Brazilian corn crop adds to world supply too, but Indian maize prices are driven more by our harvest and ethanol demand than by Brazil.

What farmers should do now

  • Watch soybean meal and DOC rates in your district for a few weeks before booking large quantities.
  • Buy feed in small, regular lots so you can adjust if the rate moves either way.
  • Keep protein level right. Cutting protein to save money lowers growth, egg output and milk. Cheaper protein is a chance to feed correctly, not to under-feed.
  • Test or ask for a lab report on protein and moisture for meal lots, since adulteration can erase any price gain.
  • Dairy farmers: compare cottonseed cake, mustard cake and soy-based concentrate prices and pick the best protein per rupee.
  • Record your feed cost per kg of weight gain or per litre of milk every month.
  • Follow credible updates from your feed supplier or poultry association instead of rumours on messaging groups.

Frequently asked questions

Will soybean meal become cheaper in India?

It may get less pressure to rise, but Indian rates depend on our own crop, crushing and demand, so a fall is not guaranteed.

Is Brazil’s record crop confirmed?

No. 181.6 million tonnes is Conab’s forecast from 15 October 2026. The crop is still to be grown and harvested.

Why is soybean area growing so slowly?

Conab links it to narrower producer margins after several years of softer world prices.

Source: Global Agriculture, 30 Oct 2026, citing Conab, with market data from Pro Farmer and Rio Times, 3 Nov 2026. Written by the IMN Pyrophos team in our own words.

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