From WATTAgNet:

As of November 21, farmers in Brazil have planted 76 percent of their 2014-15 soybean crop, progress of 13 percentage points compared with the previous week.

However, irregular rainfall and high temperatures across most of the country’s soybean belt has hindered the development of some crops and has contributed to caterpillar populations in several areas.

In Sao Paulo, where 55 percent of the crop is planted, the dry weather is affecting the crops. There is little rain forecast in the country’s south and Sao Paulo in the next week, but showers are expected in the center-west region.

The Helicoverpa caterpillar eats soy, corn and cotton crops in Asia, Australia and Africa. Only in the past few years have they emerged in South America. A state of emergency was issued in 2013 in Mato Grosso, the country’s leading soy state, and Bahia, a smaller but important producer state. The caterpillars caused an estimated BRL4.7 billion (US$1.8 billion) in losses in 2012.

So far this year, AgRural reports the caterpillar situation is not yet critical but must be monitored.