The national harvest of cereals, legumes and oilseeds points to an output of about 164.5 million metric tons,2.8% above the figure of 2011 (160.1 million metric tons) and 0.7% above the July estimate (163.3 million metric tons).  These results are presented in the eighth estimate of the Systematic Survey of Agriculture Production.

The area to be harvested in 2012, of 49.5 million hectares, presents increase of 1.6% over the 2011 figure, and increase of 0.2% over that of previous month. The three main crops, rice, corn and soybeans which, together, make up 91.3% of the output of cereals, legumes and oilseeds, account for 85.1% of the area to be harvested. compared with figures of the previous year, rice faced reduction of area by 13.4%, whereas corn and soybeans recorded increase of 11.1% and 3.8%, respectively. As for production, the estimate for corn has increased by 29.3%, but rice and soybeans face decreases of 14.9% and 12.0%, respectively, compared with 2011.   

The complete publication can be seen at www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/agropecuaria/lspa

Among the areas, the produced volume of cereals, legumes and oilseeds presents the following distribution: Central West, 70.8 million metric tons; South Region, 56.8 million metric tons; Southeast, 19.2 million metric tons; Northeast Region, 13.2 million metric tons; and North Region, 4.5 million metric tons. In relation to the previous harvest, there were increments in the North (3.0%); Southeast (11.4%) and Central West (26.2%), and decreases in the South (16.2%) and Northeast (9.3%). Mato Grosso leads the national production of grains, with a contribution of 24.0%, followed by Paraná, with 18.9%, and Rio Grande do Sul, with 12.0%.

 Together, these states represent 55.5% of the national total: 

August 2012 estimate versus 2011 figures 

Among the 26 selected products, 14 recorded positive change in output estimate versus figures in the previous year: herbaceous cotton seed (4.9%) peanuts in husk – 1^st harvest (25.6%), oats in grain (12.8%), potatoes – 3^rd harvest (1.3%), coffee beans – arabica (16.1%), coffee beans – canephora (8.5%), onions (2.3%), barley in grain (8.0%), beans in grain – 2^nd harvest (6.7%), beans – 3^rd harvest (5.6%), onions (0.3%), corn in grain – 1^st harvest (0.1%), corn in grain – 2^nd harvest (74.4%) and sorghum in grain (4.8%). Twelve products recorded negative change: peanuts in husk – 2^nd harvest (29.8%), paddy rice (14.9%), potatoes – 1^st harvest (7.8%), potatoes – 2^nd harvest (20.2%), cacao nuts (4.0%), sugarcane (8.1%), beans in grain – 1^st harvest (36.7%), castor beans (61.5%), cassava (2.6%), soybeans in grain (12.0%), wheat in grain (13.8%) and triticale in grain (7.6%).

Highlights in the estimate of August over July

COFFEE ARABICA (beans) – The expected harvest – which is already close to the end despite some delay – is estimated at 38.0 million 60-kg bags, equivalent to 2,281,673 t, and 16.1% bigger than in 2011. In relation to July, the harvest for 2012 presents, in August, decrease of 0.1% in the national output estimate, due to the contributions of Pernambuco and Paraná. In the former, crops were severely damaged due to the dry period which reached most of the Northeast, and had its production reduced, now by 1.3%. In Paraná, where coffee crops are growing in relevance, all the variables surveyed present decrease in relation to July: total area and harvested area (both with -2.0%); output, -2.4% and average yield, -0.4%. The main reason, in 2012, was the drought which led to a revision of the figures obtained for coffee crops in Paraná.

COFFEE CANEPHORA (beans) – The national output for 2012, of 751,700 (12.5 million bags) represents increase of 8.5% over 2011. Favorable climate conditions, proper cropping and irrigation led to good results in Espírito Santo. It is the 1^st national producer of conilon coffee, with 77.4% of the Brazilian production, what did not affect estimates in July. The state holds the biggest yield in the country of this type of coffee (an average of 1,955 kg or 32.6 sc/ha).

WINTER CEREALS (grain) – For winter crops, which are predominantly seen in the southern states, output decrease is observed in oats (0.6%), barley (6.6%), rye (1.8%) wheat (6.4%) and triticale (10.8%), in comparison with the previous month.   

The highlight in this period is wheat (in grain), a product which has in the state of Rio Grande do Sul as its main producer in this harvest. The expected output in this case is 2,343,100 metric tons, 14.5% less than in the previous harvest, comig from a planted area of 976,000 hectares. Although the harvested area is 4.7% bigger, unfavorable climate conditions reduce the expectation of average yield by 18.4%, compared with the previous figure. On the other hand, Paraná, the second main national producer of wheat, recorded decrease of 12.5% in the production estimate, in the same comparison. This is due to the low price charged for this product in the previous harvest, as well as to the trading difficulties and the competition with the Argentine wheat, which enters Brazil at a much lower price. Due to these facts, several producers have chosen the planting of corn in the 2nd harvest. The area planted with this item was the biggest of all times, and did not let free areas for wheat. The crop is now thoroughly planted and 7.0% is estimated to have been harvested so far. The production estimate for the state is 2,123,805 metric tons, in a planted area of 760,319 hectares and with average yield of 2,793 kg/ha.

BEANS (in grain) – The planted area, considering the three harvests, is evaluated at 3,157,345 hectares, 18.9% below that of the previous year.  

The national output of beans in grain, estimated at 2,883,794 t, points to increase of 0.6% versus the July figure, as a consequence of the positive change observed in the 2^nd and 3^rd harvest of this product. This volume is distributed as follows: 42.9% in the 1^st harvest (1,236,627 t), 41.2% in the 2^nd harvest  (6271,187,272 t) and 15.9%  in the 3^rd harvest of beans (459,895 t).

The 1^st harvest of beans records an output of 1,236,627 metric tons, 0.7% lower than in the seventh estimate. The South region, the main producer of this harvest, with a record output of 500,144 metric tons, presents decrease of 0.9%, being influenced by the 1.2% decrease in the production estimate of Paraná.

In terms of 2^nd harvest beans, planted area faced decrease of 1.0%. Average yield increased by 2.4%, having contributed to the growth of the estimated production of 0.2% compared to the July estimate. Positive reevaluations in the comparison with previous data: Mato Grosso (11.0%), Pernambuco (11.1%), Paraná (0.8%), Federal District (251.1%), Minas Gerais (0.2%) and Rio Grande do Norte (25.4%).

Third-harvest beans also recorded increase (5.6%) in production estimate over the figure in July. Goiás was the main state accounting for the expansion of output in this new evaluation, with increase of planted area (20.8%) and of the expected output (21.0%), over the previous survey. This positive evaluation also had contributions from Paraná (24.9%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (2.5%). 

CORN (grain) – According to the evaluations of August, the record national output of grain corn is estimated at 72,750,724 metric tons, 1.8% above the July figure. In this context, the 1^st harvest grew 2.2% and the 2^nd, 1.5%, compared with previous data.

The 1^st harvest of corn represents 47.0% of the total production volume, estimated to be 34,208,291 t. The change occurred mainly due to positive reevaluations in: Santa Catarina (13.2%), Goiás (3.8%), Maranhão (19.0%), Paraná (0.7%), Federal District (10.2%), Pará (0.4%) and Rio Grande do Norte (3.1%). The 2^nd harvest of corn in grain, with 53.0% of the national output, is expected to reach 38,542,433, recording increase of 1.5% over previous results. The area to be harvested, however, decreased by 0.3%; yield, on the other hand, increased by 1.7%. The Northeast Region kept its decreasing results due to the drought. The Region had an estimated decrease of 4.6% and 11.6% in terms of area to be harvested, what resulted in a production 5.5% lower than that estimated for July.

Yield, however, increased by 7.0%, what softened the effect of the loss in production. The Central West region, the main producer of corn, in its 2^nd harvest (25,497,374 t), with 66.2% of the national output, recorded positive change of 2.6% in production and of 2.2% in terms of average yield. This change occurred due to the update of data relative to Mato Grosso do Sul, which recorded increase of production estimate and average yield of 10.2%.

Goiás and Federal District also recorded increase of production estimates for the 2^nd harvest corn by 2.3% and 24.1%, respectively.

SORGHUM (in grain) – The estimate for sorghum in 2012 (2,000,370 metric tons) is 5.5% above the previous one. In Minas Gerais – a state which accounts for 21.3% of the national output of sorghum – although the harvested area has increased by 0.3% only, production grew 5.7%, as a result of the expansion of average yield (5.3%). Mato Grosso do Sul also reevaluated positively its harvest of sorghum; it is expected to increase by 8.0% in relation to July. However, Goiás represents the main influence on the sorghum production of this month. The state has 39.7% of the national total, and is the main producer of this cereal; its output has increased by 9.2% in relation to previous data. The area planted with sorghum has been reevaluated; it increased by 2.3%, whereas average yield fell by 6.8%, as a result of the good climate conditions and of the increase of investments in technology and fertilization. Sorghum is considered a second-harvest product, usually harvested after summer products.

The Systematic Survey of Agricultural Production (LSPA) is a monthly survey to forecast and monitor the harvest of the main agricultural products, whose information is obtained by means of the Municipal Commissions (COMEA) and/or Regional Commissions (COREA). The latter are consolidated in state level by the Agriculture Statistics Coordinating Groups (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).

Due to users' needs of harvest data, the surveys relative to Cereals, Legumes and Oilseeds (cotton seed, peanut, rice, beans, castor beans, corn, soybean, oat, rye, barley, sunflower, sorghum, wheat and triticale) 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). That initiative is the result of a process (started in October, 2007) of harmonization of official harvest estimates for the main Brazilian crops.