Brasília – Grain production should reach 190.6 million tonnes in the current crop, according to the National Supply Company (Conab). The volume stands for an increase of 1.1% in relation to the past crop, which reached 188.7 million tonnes, according to the estimates in the 7th Grain Crop Survey 2013/2014, released this Thursday (10).
According to the Conab, there has been an increase of around 1.9 million tonnes in relation to the last survey, thanks to the recovery of the second crop of soy and maize, which had positive results and was less influenced by bad weather in the production region.
Wheat production has shown an increase of 21.5% (up 1.1 million tonnes), reaching 6.7 million tonnes. The increase in soy production was 5.6%, up 4.6 million tonnes, reaching 6.1 million tonnes. As for rice, there has been an increase of 6.6% (779,000 tonnes), reaching 12.6 million tonnes. The first and second crops of beans increased by a combined 25.1% (704,000 tonnes), to 3.5 million tonnes.
Maize, on the other hand, has decreased by 7.4% (6.1 million tonnes), and will likely reach 75.5 million tonnes. Last year, the production was 81.5 million tonnes. The first crop dropped by 8.9%, amounting to 31.5 million tonnes, and the second, 6.4%, reaching 43.9 million tonnes.
The total area allocated for grain crops should reach 56.4 million hectares, which means an increase of 5.3% compared to the 53.28 million hectares area from last crops. Soy had an increase of 8.2%, going from 27.7 million to 30 million hectares. The other crops which also had an increase in area were wheat (14.2%), rice (0.7%), first and second crops of beans (9,2%), cotton (22,4%),castor bean (28.5%), sunflower (99.6%) and the first and second crops of peanut (12.3%).
The survey covered the main grain producing areas in the country in the period between March 23rd and 29th. The Agriculture minister, Neri Gueller, has mentioned that the country will have a “supercrop”, due to the organization of the agriculture sector, with the incorporation of new technologies which expand production and support government policies such as credit and insurance.
Translated by Rodrigo Mendonça
