Brasília – The Brazilian grain crop should reach 185 million tonnes, breaking a new record for production in Brazil. That is what the grain study for the 2012/2013 crop, disclosed on Thursday (07) by the National Food Supply Company (Conab) shows. If the estimate is confirmed, grain production should be 11.3% greater than recorded in the previous crop. According to the organisation, these are not consolidated figures, and variations may occur in case of climate change.
In terms of growth, the highlight was soy (25.7%), which should record production of 83.42 million tonnes. Second crop maize should climb from 39.1 million tonnes to 40.9 million, growth of 4.6%. Conab pointed out that this is the largest crop, even exceeding that of first crop maize, which totalled 35.1 million tonnes.
The study also shows growth in the cultivated area of both crops. In the case of soy, 10.4%, rising from 25 million hectares to 27.6 million. The cultivated area of second crop maize grew by 8.5%, from 7.6 million hectares to 8.3 million. There was also growth in areas turned to cultivation of other products, like first crop peanuts, oats, canola, barley and triticale, a grain that is hybrid between wheat and rye.
The study is based on studies by 60 technicians from January 21st to 26th.
IBGE
The Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE) also disclosed its crop estimates on Thursday. According to the estimate of the first Systematic Study of Agricultural Production this year, the domestic grain crop in 2013 should reach 183.3 million tonnes, 13.1 % more than in 2012 (162.1 million tonnes). The cultivated area of 53 million hectares presents growth of 8.4% over last year (48.8 million hectares).
The difference between the figures disclosed by the IBGE and the Conab is due to the periods evaluated. The institute analyses the January to December crop, while Conab focuses on the crop year, which goes from August to July of the following year.
According to the IBGE, the tree main cultures (rice, maize and soy), which, added, represent 92.2% of estimates of grain, vegetable and oleaginous plant production, answer to 85.2% of the area to be picked. With regard to the previous year, there was growth of 1.3% in rice, 8.2% in maize and 9.7% in soy. With regard to production, the increases reached 5.3% in rice, 3.8% in maize ad 26.3% in soy, when compared to 2012.
Among the main regions, the greatest produces come from the Midwest (72 million tonnes), followed by the South (71.2 million tonnes), Southeast (19.2 million tonnes), Northeast (16.7 million tonnes) and North (4.3 million tonnes).
Mato Grosso is the state that leads as the country’s main producer of grain, with a 23.4%; share, followed by Paraná, with 20.2 %; and Rio Grande do Sul, with 15.0%. They are states that, together, represent 58.8% of the total produced by the country.
Among the 26 products studied, 19 presented positive variation in the production estimate as against the previous year, among them shelled peanuts (20.6%), hulled rice (5.3%), cereal in grain (0.7%), first crop potatoes (4.8%), second crop potatoes (1.5%), third crop potatoes (18.6%), conillon coffee in grain (2.3%), sugarcane (6.0%), barley in grain (22.9%), first crop beans (41.8%), second crop beans (17.5%), third crop beans (32.3%) and castor seeds (251.8%).
On the other hand, seven products had negative variation: cotton seed (26.8%), first crop shelled peanuts (10.2%), shelled cocoa (5.3%), Arabica coffee grains (9.1%), onion (3.1%), orange (3.0%) and second crop maize (0.7%).
*Translated by Mark Ament
