Brasília – The combined output of the five leading grain crops in Brazil should increase by 21.1% up until 2022. That represents an increase from a current 153.3 million tonnes of soy, maize, wheat, rice and beans to 185.6 million tonnes. The estimate was taken from the Brasil – Projeções do Agronegócio 2011/2012 a 2021/2022 (Brazil – Agribusiness Projections 2011-2012 to 2021-2022) survey, published by the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to the document, the increase will result from a 9% increase in planted area. “Brazil is one of a few countries in the world that can boost its food production, with actual gains in productivity, while keeping its natural reserves safe,” says the report, which was made in partnership with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa, in the Portuguese acronym).
To meet that goal, the ministry finds it important for research and technology to be used in farming. The expected rise in output amounts to 32.3 million tonnes in only 10 crops.
According to the ministry, the planted area for soy should increase by 4.8 million hectares in the next ten years, through the incorporation of new areas and the occupation of areas currently used in other crops. Maize crops are expected to increase by 600,000 hectares. The planted areas for crops such as rice, wheat and beans are expected to either remain stable or decrease.
The survey, which also uses information from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), concludes that by the 2021-2022 crop, Brazil will maintain its current worldwide leadership status in coffee and sugar exports. The country’s share in world trade of maize, soybean, beef and poultry, four of the main products in the world, will increase.
According to the USDA, Brazil will have a 43.1% share in international soybean exports, and a 43.5% share in poultry exports, far ahead of the second leading exporting country, the United States, whose respective shares will be 31.6% and 33.4%. Brazil will also account for 23.2% of worldwide beef sales, and 10.4% of maize sales.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
