Brazilian farmers had harvested 36% of the area planted for their second corn crop in the center-south region by the end of last Thursday, consultancy AgRural said on Monday, up 9 percentage points from the previous week.

The pace, however, still lags the one seen at the same time last year, when 53% of Brazilian corn fields had been reaped, the consultancy’s statement said.

Work in the fields last week was hampered by rains in the states of Parana and Mato Grosso do Sul, AgRural said, although noting the drop in temperature was not enough to trigger frosts that producers had been fearing.

In Mato Grosso and Goias states, it added, dry weather allowed for steep progress.

“Yield reports coming from these two states continue to support estimates of a bumper crop,” the consultants said.

Second corn represents about 75% of Brazil’s national corn output in a given year. AgRural expects the 2023 crop to reach 102.9 million metric tons.