In 2007, the Brazilian production of cereal, legumes and oilseeds, referred to as grains, has reached a new record: a total harvest of 133.3 million tons, 13.7% more than in 2006.

 

In 2007, the Brazilian production of cereal, legumes and oilseeds, referred to as grains, has reached a new record: a total harvest of 133.3 million tons, 13.7% more than in 2006. The good performance of soybeans (increase of 10.6%) and of corn (21.5%) guaranteed the increase of production. A favorable international scenario and good climactic conditions have benefited the performance of crops. With the higher  value of the main grains, the value of production increased by 36.5% in relation to 2006, reaching R$ 55.9 billion, which meant a change of almost R$ 15 billion. In spite of this increase, the value was lower than in 2003 (R$ 58 billion) and in 2004 (R$ 63.4 billion). Planted area, on the other hand, fell by 1.5%, as a consequence of the decline of soybeans crops (-6.5%, representing 1.4 million hectares less), due to disadvantageous prices at the time planting. These are the main highlights of the Municipal Survey of Agriculture – Cereals, legumes and oilseeds 2007 (PAMCLO 2007), as detailed below.

 

The main highlight of the 2007 harvest was corn, with increase of almost 9.2 million metric tons (21.5%) in relation to 2006. Influenced by the rise of prices in the external market, Brazilian producers increased planted area by 11.5%, especially in the second harvest. Besides, the average yield of 1^st harvest milk surpassed the 2006 figure. The rise of corn prices in the external market occurred due to the fact that the United States, the main world producer and exporter, used part of its production to the manufacturing of ethanol, with the objective of counterbalancing the dependence on petroleum, the price of which has been on steady rise.

Besides soybeans and corn, herbaceous cotton also had signs of recovery in 2007, with harvest increase of 41.4%, as a consequence of the bigger planted area and of better yield. The graph that follows shows the percentage composition of Brazilian grain production in 2007.

 

 

 

Paraná’s participation in production changes from 19.8% to 21.8%

 

In 2007, there was increase of Paraná’s contribution to the Brazilian grain harvest, and the state now accounts for 21.8% of the national production (versus 19.8% in 2006), affected by the increased production of corn and soybeans and by the recovery of wheat. The state is the main Brazilian producer of corn, beans, wheat, barley and triticale; and the second main one of soybeans, rye and oats.

 

Mato Grosso remains in second place, with 18.2% of participation (18.9% in 2006). The state is the main producer of soybeans, with 62.1% of national production. In terms of participation, soybeans, which represented about 70% of the state production in 2006, was replaced by corn. The latter increased 45% in 2007, accounting for 24.9% of the national grain production of Mato Grosso.

 

Rio Grande do Sul also had increase of participation in the national grain production, from 17% in 2006 to 18.1% in 2007. The state recovered after tow years of interruption of harvests, due to harsh climatic conditions. The crops with the highest level of growth were corn (31.8%), soybeans (31.3%), and wheat (109.3%).

 

Sorriso (MT) produces the biggest amount of grains; São Desidério (BA), the most valuable ones

 

In 2007, Sorriso (MT) was once again the biggest grain producer in the country, with 2.5 million tons, almost a million more than Sapezal (MT), in the second position. It was the municipality with the biggest planted area, 809,396 ha, most of it planted with soybeans (67.1%) and corn (28.2%). The production of Sorriso grew by 12.6% between 2006 and 2007, affected by the bigger amount of corn produced (with increase of 139.9% of planted area and of 88.8% of production). This increase, together with the occurrence of better prices, accounted for rise of 53.2% in the production value of the municipality.

 

In terms of value of production, São Desidério (BA) is the leader, with R$ 963.3 million, surpassing the 2006 figure by 46.1%. The municipality is the biggest producer of herbaceous cotton in the country, and also an important supplier of soybeans and corn.  

 

 

Production of soybeans reaches new record in 2007

 

The Brazilian production of soybeans in 2007 was 58,038,033 t, surpassing by 10.6% that of the previous year, a new record. Harvested area, 6.5% smaller than in 2006, amounted to 20,614.606 ha. The national average yield of soybeans was 2,815 kg/ha, 18.3% above the 2,379 kg/ha registered in 2006, due to more favorable climatic conditions and the prioritization, by producers, of planting in more proper areas of their properties.

 

In Mato Grosso, the main producer, 15,274,887 t were harvested, that is, 26.3% of the total national production. The decrease of 2.0% in relation to the 2006 harvest occurred due to the reduction of planting area in the state, which was 5,075,079 ha in 2007, 736,828 ha less than in 2006.

 

The production value of Mato Grosso (R$ 5.877 billion), was very close to the value of soybeans production in Paraná (R$ 5.801 billion), although the area in the state is 20% bigger (1 million hectares). Paraná is the second major soybeans producer, with 11,876,790 t, 20.5% of the national total, harvested in an area of 4,007,323 ha. In relation to 2006, production in the state increased 26.8%. In Rio Grande do Sul, the third main producer, the harvest of 9,929,005 t, was 31.3% above that of 2006 and was 17.1% of the total amount of soybeans harvested in the country.

 

The five main municipalities in terms of soybeans production in 2007 were located in the state of Mato Grosso: Sorriso (2.9% of participation in national production); Sapezal (1.7%); Nova Mutum (1.7%); Campo Novo do Parecis (1.5%); and Diamantino (1.4%). São Desidério (BA),which, in 2006, was the ninth major national producer, reached the sixth position in 2007, with increase of 11.2% in production (from 617,583 to 686,575 metric tons); however, its participation remained as 1.2% of the national total, representing 29.9% of the production in Bahia state.

 

 

 

Prices stimulate corn producers

 

The national production of corn in 2007, considering both harvests, amounted to 51.8 million metric tons, with positive change of 21.5% over 2006. This can be seen as a consequence of the improvement of the price paid to producers, due to the reduced international supply of this product.

 

The planting of corn occurs in all the Federative Units, and the first six ones (PR, MT, MG, RS, GO e SP) concentrate 78.1% of the national production. São Paulo was the only state with negative change in production in relation to 2006 (-10.4%), losing positions in the ranking, from the 4^th to the 6^th position in 2007. This occurred due to the loss of are planted with sugarcane. The main change in production happened in Mato Grosso (45.0% in relation to 2006), due to the good prices in the beginning of planting of 2^nd harvest and of the favorable climatic conditions.

 

The municipality of Sorriso leads the national ranking of corn, with 755,678 t produced in 228,266 ha. The six biggest municipalities which grow corn had increase of production compared to figures in 2006. All of them are located in the savannah, where seasons are well-defined. Climatic conditions, in general, were considerably favorable to corn production in 2007.

 

Rice harvest decreased 4.2% in 2007

 

The national production of rice in 2007 amounted to 11,041,320 t, 4.2% less than in 2006. A total of 2.886.694 ha were harvested, resulting on average yield of 3,825 kg/ha. Almost all the producing  main states had their production reduced, except in Tocantins, which presented an increment of 38.7%. In this state, the municipality of Lagoa da Confusão was the main producer (having harvested 126,000 metric tons, and corresponding to increment of 134.1% in relation to the previous harvest.

 

In Rio Grande do Sul, the main rice producer in the country, 6,340,136 t were harvested, in an area of  941,058 ha, resulting in 6,737 kg/ha. Compared to 2006, both production and harvested area faced decreases (-6.5% and -8.0%, respectively); mainly due to the lack of rain before planting. The average yield increased 1.5%.  

 

Nineteen of the 20 municipalities which produced rice in the country in 2007 were located in Rio Grande do Sul. The municipality of Uruguaiana, despite its reduction of 24.7% in production compared to 2006, remained in the first position, accounting for 4.0% of the national harvest.

 

In Santa Catarina, the second major national producer, had production of 1,038,438 t, in an area of 149,767 ha. The state had the highest average yield of this crop in the country: 6,934 kg/ha. Mato Grosso, the main producer in the Central West Region, and the third national producer, harvested in 2007 a total of 707,167 t, in an area of 274,928 ha. Compared to the previous harvest, production in the state declined 1.9%, and harvested area decreased by 1.7%.

 

 

 

 

Production of wheat increases again after two years of interrupted harvests

 

After two consecutive years with interruption of harvests due to climatic problems, wheat production increased by 65.3% in 2007, compared to the previous harvests. It was the best average yield and guaranteed the growth of crops in most states, except in Rio Grande do Sul, where there was recovery of 21.5% of planted area (150,718 ha more).

 

Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul accounted, respectively, for 46.9% and 41.9% of the national wheat production. Considering planted area, the states had different situations: Paraná faced decrease of area of 7.2%; Rio Grande do Sul had increase of 21.5%.

 

The municipality of Tibagi (PR) was the main producer of wheat in the country in 2007, with 62,500 metric tons, which represented increase of 42% in relation to the previous year, surpassing the municipality of Muitos Capões, located in Rio Grande do Sul.

 

 

Beans harvest is 4.6% below national consumption

 

The national production of beans, in 2007, considering the three harvests, amounted to 3.242.290 t, a decrease of 6.2% compared to the previous year, being 4.6% below the annual consumption of the product, which is about 3,400,000 metric tons. This has occurred mainly due to the little attractive prices, which did not stimulate the expansion of harvesting, and also due to harsh climatic conditions.

 

The product is planted all over the national territory, and six states (PR, MG, BA, SP, GO e SC) accounted for about 72.4% of the total amount produced in the country.

 

Although Paraná remained as the main producer (23.6% do total), it had production of 766,792 t, 6.3% less than in 2006, due to bad climatic conditions. Minas Gerais, in the second position, produced 480,863 t, only 0.9% more than in 2006. In Bahia, an important production center, production declined 11.0% due to the dry period during the second harvest; 319,402 metric tons were produced.

 

The 20 biggest bean producing municipalities, with a total of 651,993 metric tons, accounted for 20.1% of the national production. Eight of them are in Paraná, but the municipality of Unaí (MG) kept its hegemony, by producing the biggest volume in 2007, 99,600 metric tons.

 

 

Herbaceous cotton surpasses record production of 2004 

 

The national production of herbaceous cotton (in seed) 2007 amounted to 4,097,490 metric tons, surpassing by 41.4% the figure in 2006 and by 7.9% the record harvest of 2004 (3,798,480 t). This increment was due to the increase of the area to be harvested, which reached 1,119,746 ha, 19.8% more than in 2006 (898,008 ha), as a consequence of the good prices in the internal and external market.

 

In Mato Grosso, the main national producer (53.8% of the total), harvested area was 560,838 ha, with production of 2,204,457 t, 53.3% more than in 2006. Still in the Central West region, Goiás presented increase in production of 46.1%, whereas Mato Grosso do Sul had decrease of 4.7%. In the Southeast, São Paulo (26.9%) and Minas Gerais had increments in production.

 

In Bahia, the second main national producer, the increment in production was 38.9%, as a result of governmental measures, through Proalba (Program of Harvest Incentive in the Cerrado Baiano.  São Desidério remained as the main producer in the country and in the state (with 12.8% of national production and 46.8% of the state production).