The aim of organizing a crop calendar is to standardize growing periods so that activities such as soil management and crop care can be better planned, whether locally or globally. The calendar has always taken into account the needs of each commodity: temperature, rainfall, wind speed and relative humidity.

Nowadays, planting and harvesting windows are more than just a production organization, but also indicators for industries and logistics companies. With specific dates, the market can monitor agricultural production and manage financial risks according to global supply and demand.

In this article, we’ll explore the harvest calendar of the main agricultural commodities around the world and understand the differences and seasonalities between the main producing countries and at the end, you’ll be able to download Hedgepoint’s exclusive harvest calendar!

Crop calendar: soybeans

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States (FAO), the largest global soy producers are:

1 – Brazil;

2 – United States;

3 – Argentina;

4 – China.

In each of these four countries, the soybean production calendar is different. In Brazil, planting begins in mid-September and ends at the end of December. The harvest begins in the first days of March and ends in May. The Brazilian harvest is very important for supplying food to other countries, especially China.

In the United States, the soybean crop is planted from May to June and harvested between September and October.

In Argentina, the planting window is between November and January, with the harvest between March and early June.

Finally, soybeans of Chinese origin are planted between April and May, with harvest estimated to take place between September and October.

Crop calendar: corn

Some grains have more than one annual harvest calendar, depending on the region and the climatic conditions of the place in question. This is the case with corn in Brazil: it has a larger harvest and a smaller one, called the winter and summer harvests.

See the calendar for this country and other nations, in order of largest producer:

1º: United States

Planting begins in April and ends in May. Harvest between September and November.

2nd Brazil

Planting the summer crop: from mid-September to the end of December.
Harvest: early February to late June.

Winter crop planting: starts in January and ends in February.
Harvest: in June, July and August.

3rd Argentina

Planting between September and November. Harvest between March and June.

Read also:

• 7 interesting facts about corn

Crop calendar: cotton

In terms of volume, India and China are the largest cotton-producing nations in the world. In terms of exports, Brazil and the United States top the ranking. Recently, the Latin American country overtook the North American country and took first place in world cotton exports. See the harvest calendar for these countries;

• China:

Cotton is planted between April and June. Harvest in September and October.

• India:

Planting between March and July and harvesting between September and December.

• Brazil:

Planting between November and February and harvesting between June and September.

• United States:

Planting between April and June. Harvest between September and December.

Read also:

• Agriculture: how important is it for food security?

Harvest calendar: wheat

Wheat growing is divided into two types of crop: winter and spring. In addition to the planting and harvesting dates, the agricultural calendar tracks the flowering of the crop. This period is crucial for wheat because it is at this stage that pollination takes place, determining the quantity and quality of the grains that will be produced.

This stage is highly sensitive to factors such as temperature and water availability. Adverse conditions, such as excessive heat or drought during flowering, can significantly reduce crop yields.

●      Winter crop

Winter wheat is widely used in the production of flour for bread and pasta due to its high gluten content. Its production stability is fundamental to global supply, and it is an important commodity in the exports of producing countries.

The main characteristic of winter wheat is its resistance to cold, and it is adapted to harsher climates. Winter dormancy helps prevent frost damage.

• Europe:

Planting: September to October.

Flowering: mid-May to mid-June.

Harvest: July to August.

• Russia:

Planting: August to October.

Flowering: between the end of April and the beginning of July.

Harvest: July to August.

• Ukraine:

Planting: Mid-August to the end of September.

Flowering: between May and early July.

Harvest: July to August.

• United States (Winter wheat):

Planting: End of August to end of October.

Flowering: between April and June.

Harvest: June to the end of August.

●      Spring harvest

The spring wheat crop is grown mainly in regions where the winter is too harsh for cultivation this season. This wheat is sown in spring and harvested in late summer or early fall.

Spring wheat is highly prized for its high protein quality and is mainly used in the production of premium breads and pastas. The main producing countries include:

1 – Canada:

Planting: between May and June.

Flowering: during the month of July.

Harvest: between September and November.

2 – United States (mainly in the state of North Dakota):

Planting: between April and mid-June.

Flowering: between mid-June and the end of August.

Harvest: between September and mid-November.

3 – Russia (in the southern and central regions):

Planting: during May.

Flowering: in June and July.

Harvest: between the end of July and the end of September.

Harvest calendar: coffee

The coffee market is mainly driven by Brazil and Vietnam. Together, these countries produce around 78% of the world’s coffee. See the harvest calendar for each of them:

1 – Brazil

Arabica coffee:

Arabica coffee requires specific climatic and water conditions for its growth. It prefers mild temperatures, ranging from 18°C to 24°C, and needs a good amount of water, with annual rainfall between 1,200 mm and 1,800 mm.

• Coffee blooms between September and November.
• Ripens between December and March.
• Harvest between May and mid-August.

Conilon coffee:
Conilon coffee, also known as Robusta, is grown in slightly different climatic and water conditions to Arabica coffee. This type of bean prefers higher temperatures, ranging from 24°C to 30°C, and is more resistant to periods of drought, requiring less humidity and constant water.

• Flowering between September and mid-November.
• Ripening between November and mid-March.
• Harvest between April and early August.

2 – Vietnam:
Vietnam is the world’s second largest coffee producer and the main type of bean produced in the country is Robusta (or Conilon).

• Flowering between April and early July.
• Ripening between July and early October.
• Harvest between October and mid-February.

Read also:

• Coffee harvesting in Brazil: prospects and challenges

Harvest calendar: cocoa

Cocoa requires a warm and humid climate. Climate change, such as drought or excessive rainfall, can have a negative impact on plant growth and yield. In its cultivation, production is usually carried out in two harvests: one main and one secondary. This practice is used to increase the productivity of the cocoa tree.

In addition, cocoa production is also characterized by the off-season, which is the period between the end of one harvest and the start of planting the next. This is an important time to carry out cultural treatments such as pruning trees, controlling pests and diseases, maintaining irrigation systems and support structures to ensure that the plants are in good condition for the next season.

Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are the two main cocoa producers in the world, responsible for up to 60% of all global production.

Read also:

• What are first crop, second crop, and off-season? Understand the differences!

Sugar harvest calendar

Sugarcane is a perennial crop, but it is renewed periodically to maintain productivity. Between 5 and 7 years, the planting is replaced by new seedlings. In addition, this crop has a long development cycle, exceeding 12 months of the year. For this reason, planting and harvesting overlap.

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of sugarcane and was responsible for producing 677.6 million tons of the product in 2023, destined for the ethanol and sugar markets. In this country, sugar cane production is very important in both the central-southern and northeastern regions. See the harvest calendar for each region:

1 – South-Central Brazil (CS):

Planting: from September to April.

Harvest: mid-March to end of November.

Ideal conditions: sugar cane needs a warm, humid climate, with temperatures between 22°C and 32°C.

2 – Northeast Brazil (NE):

Planting: end of February to beginning of August.

Harvest: from mid-July to the end of March.

Ideal conditions: The Northeast also requires a hot and humid climate, with a good distribution of rainfall throughout the year to support the growth of sugarcane.

Download our calendar

Do you want a document that brings together the dates to better manage your price risks? Click on the banner and download it now!

This document has been prepared by Hedgepoint Global Markets LLC and its affiliates (“HPGM”) solely for informational and instructional purposes and is not intended to establish obligations or commitments to third parties, nor is it intended to promote an offer, or the solicitation of an offer, to buy or sell any securities, futures, options, currencies and swaps or investment products. Hedgepoint Commodities LLC (“HPC”), a wholly owned entity of HPGM, is an Introducing Broker and a registered member of the National Futures Association. Trading futures, options, currencies and swaps involves significant risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Hedgepoint clients should rely on their own independent judgment and that of external advisors before entering into any transaction that is introduced by the company. HPGM and its associates expressly disclaim any liability for any use of the information contained herein that results directly or indirectly in damages of any kind. In case of questions not resolved by our customer service team ([email protected]), please contact our internal ombudsman channel ([email protected]) or 0800-878 8408/[email protected] (only for customers in Brazil).