According to the September estimate, the national harvest of cereals, legumes and oilseeds is expected to reach 148.9 million metric tons in 2010, and become the biggest national harvest in the time series.. .

According to the September estimate, the national harvest of cereals, legumes and oilseeds² is expected to reach 148.9 million metric tons in 2010, and become the biggest national harvest in the time series. Production volume is 11.1% bigger than in 2009 (134.0 million metric tons) and 0.6% bigger than the August estimate (148.0 million metric tons). These results are presented in the ninth estimate of the Systematic Survey of Agricultural Production (LSPA)³. The area to be harvested in 2010, of 46.7 million hectares, presents decrease of 1.1% compared to that in 2009. The three main crops, soybeans, corn and rice, which, together, account for 83.5% of this area, recorded changes of +7.6%,- 6.6% and -6.4%, respectively, in relation to2009. They accounted for 91.1% of the production of cereals, legumes and oilseeds; with reference to production, corn and soybeans recorded, in this order, increases of 8.5% and 20.6%; and rice, decrease of 10.5%.

The production volume of cereal, legumes and oilseeds expected for 2010 is distributed as follows: South Region, 63.6 million metric tons; Central West, 52.2 million metric tons; Southeast, 17.3 million metric tons; Northeast, 11.8 million metric tons and North, 4.0 million metric tons. Compared to the previous harvest, each Major Region has recorded increment as follows: North, 6.1%; Northeast, 0.2%, Southeast, 0.5%, South, 21.3% and Central West, 6.9%. Paraná has remained as the leader in terms of national grain production, surpassing Mato Grosso, which had been in the same position in 2009, by 2.2 percentage points.

Highlights in the September output compared to August data 

In September, there were highlights in production estimates of five crops, compared to figures in August: herbaceous seed cotton (-1.2%), total beans in grain (+0.5%), total corn in grain (+1.5%), soybeans in grain (+0.0%) and wheat in grain (+1.7%).

Herbaceous cotton (seed)

The ninth production estimate for herbaceous cotton in 2010 is about 2.9 million metric tons, with change of -1.2% in relation to August. This decrease occurred as a result of changes in the data of the two main producing states. In Mato Grosso, the major national producer, with 49.8% of participation, production changes by -1.4%, although the estimated planted area was 0.1% bigger than that in August. There was decrease of -1.5% in average yield in September (3,462 kg/ha versus 3,515 kg/ha in August). Decrease reflects the scarcity of rain since April 2010, which caused damages, especially to the harvesting of 2^nd harvest items, responsible for about 63% of all the area planted in the state

In Bahia, the second major producer, with participation in production of 34.1%, the output decreased 1.9% due to the change of -2.9% in the average yield of crops, estimated as 3,697 kg/ha.

Total beans (in grain)

The national production of beans, considering its three harvests, is evaluated at 3.3 million metric tons, being 0.5% above that in the previous estimate. Compared to August, the 1^st harvest (already finished) changed by -0.2% due to the reevaluation of final data. Regarding the 2^nd harvest, the increase of 1.2% is mainly due to the reevaluation of data in the Northeast, mainly in Bahia (the second main producer of 2^nd harvest items), which recorded increase of 7.2% in average yield and of 8.7% in production. Considering 3^rd harvest, with increase in production of 1.0%, Paraná was the only state to finish the harvesting period. The increment recorded refers, mainly, to the expected production of Mato Grosso, where there was also increase of planted area (5.5%) and average yield (8.3%).

Total corn (in grain)

The estimated national production of corn in grain in 2010, for both harvests, amounts to 55.6 million metric tons, being 1.5% bigger than in the previous estimate. The main factors contributing to this result were changes in the data of the 2^nd corn harvest, once the first one (already over in the main producing centers), recorded insignificant decrease by 2.4 thousand metric tons, in an expected overall output of 33.8 million metric tons.

The production of 2^nd harvest beans, estimated as 21.8 million metric tons, surpassed by 3.9% data recorded last month. It can be seen as a consequence of the positive reevaluation of 1.1% in the area to be harvested, as well as of 2.7% in average yield. Two major producing states have accounted for these changes, after the revision of final collection data: Mato Grosso (representing 35.7%of the national output), with increase of 8.3%, and Paraná (30.4% of the output), with 3.8%.

Soybeans (in grain)

For soybeans, considering the September survey, the expected output (68.7 million metric tons) is only 11.5 thousand metric tons bigger than in the previous estimate, but it records positive change of 20.6% compared to the volume obtained in 2009. It also surpasses by about 16% the previous record of 59.2 million metric tons in 2008. Harvested area increased 7.6%, having reached 23.4 million hectares; the average yield, of 2,935 kg/ha, increased by 12.1%. The harvesting period is already over in producing centers (except in Pará) and the increase is mainly due to the revision of collection data in Tocantins.

Wheat (in grain)

The estimated production of wheat, the main cereal among winter crops, was 5.5 million metric tons, 1.7% more than in August. This increase results, mainly, from the changes in the data of Paraná – the major producer and responsible for 58.9% of the output expected for the country. In the Central South and part of the Southwest of this state, planting is delayed, whereas in the North and West Regions, with earlier planting, better figures for average yield of crops are obtained as harvesting advances. For this same reason, despite the decrease of 0.4% in area, production has changed by +3.0%.

Production estimates of 16 products up compared to figures in 2009

Among the 25 products selected, 16 presented positive change in estimates in relation to the previous year: oats in grain (+37.0%), 1^st harvest (+2.8%), 2^nd (+13.2%) and 3^rd harvest potatoes (+1.7%), cacao nuts (+3.2%), coffee in grain (+14.8%), sugarcane (+1.3%), onions (+7.7%), barley in grain (+32.7%), 3^rd harvest beans (+17.2%), oranges (+3.8%), cassava (+0.2%), 2^nd harvest corn in grain (+27.1%), soybeans in grain (+20.6%), wheat in grain (+10.0%) and triticale in grain (+2.1%). The nine products with negative change were: herbaceous seed cotton (-0.2%), 1st harvest (-21.2%) and 2nd harvest peanuts in husk (-48.5%), rice in husk (-10.5%), 1^st harvest (-3.4%) and 2^nd harvest beans in grain (-14,9%), castor beans in segments (-8.6%), 1^st harvest corn (-0.8%) and sorghum in grain (-13.7%).

With the end of the harvesting period, coffee has its national production estimated as 2.8 million metric tons (46.5 million 60 Kg-sacks), versus 40.5 million sacks produced in 2009, indicating increase of 14.8% in national production in relation to 2009. The area directed to harvesting is 2.1 million hectares, with expected average yield of 1,299 kg/ha, 13.9% more than in 2009.

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1  Due to the needs of users of crop data, surveys relative to Cereals, legumes and oilseeds have been conducted in close partnership with the National Supply Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture (CONAB), a subdivision of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) as a sequence to a process of harmonization of official harvest estimates for the main Brazilian crops, which started in October 2007.

2  Cotton seed, peanuts, rice, beans, castor beans, corn, soybeans, oats, rye, barley, sunflower seeds, sorghum, wheat and triticale.

3  The Systematic Survey of Agricultural Production (LSPA) is a monthly survey for the estimate and monitoring of harvests of the main agricultural products, about which data are obtained through Municipal Commissions (COMEA) and/or Regional Commissions (COREA), united at state level by the Agriculture Statistics Coordinating Group (GCEA) and later, evaluated at national level by the Special Commission of Planning, Control and Evaluation of Agricultural Statistics (CEPAGRO). This Commission is formed by representatives from IBGE and from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA).