Brasília – The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply reported this Friday (13) that the gross value of Brazilian agriculture ended 2016 at BRL 527.9 billion (USD 164.31 billion). It stood 1.8% below the amount registered in 2015. Both livestock and crops contributed to drive down the numbers.
According to the ministry, livestock production value declined 3.2% and crops production value slid 1%. In livestock, beef, poultry and milk were impacted by lower prices. In crops, there was a decline in production value of products such as tomato, castor bean, tobacco, grape, cocoa, cotton, peanut, onion and rice (9.5%).
For the general coordinator of Studies and Analyses of the Secretariat of Agricultural Policy of the ministry, José Garcia Gasques, 2016’s most noteworthy aspect were the droughts, which impacted agricultural activities especially in the Cerrado and Northeast regions.
For 2017, the first results coming in lead to a forecast that point to agricultural revenues of BRL 545 billion (USD 169.63 billion). Among the crops, the expected value for soy, maize, sugar cane, beans and cottons all increased strongly.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
