SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL — Brazilian-based grains and fibers producer SLC Agrícola is anticipating a good grain harvest even with planting delays in the 2020-21 season due to drought, Reuters reported.

The company plans to begin its soybean harvest between Jan. 10-15, 2021, about 10 days behind schedule compared to the previous year.

Gustavo Lunardi, chief executive officer of SLC, told Reuters, “We planted in dry soil, but with rain forecast for two days later. We should finish planting in November, which is within the best window in terms of soybean yields.”

Lunardi did not comment on SLC’s soybean planted area for the 2020-21 season, but according to Reuter’s SLC planted 235,400 hectares of soybeans, 125,460 hectares of cotton and 82,390 hectares of second-corn in the 2019-20 season.

SLC also expects a positive harvest for its cotton and second-corn crops as the La Niña will be of moderate intensity, Lunardi told Reuters.

The delayed soybean harvest is forecast to postpone SLC’s cotton and second-corn planting but Lunardi said it will be “manageable.”