The second estimate of the national harvest of cereals, legumes and oilseeds accounted for 190.3 million metric tons, 1.1% higher than that obtained in 2013 (188.2 million metric tons). The estimate of February in relation to January´s dropped by 3.6 million metric tons (-1.8%). The estimated area to be harvested in 2014, 55.1 million hectares, represented an increase of 4.3% over the harvested area in 2013 (52.8 million hectares). Rice, corn and soybeans were the three main products in this group, which altogether represented 92.5% of the production estimate and accounted for 85.5% of the area to be harvested. In relation to the previous year, there were area increases of 1.0% for rice, 6.4% for soybeans and a 1.2% decrease in the area to be harvested with corn. Concerning production, the rises were 6.3% for rice and 8.3% for soybeans. The decrease for corn was 7.0% when compared with 2013.

The complete publication can be accessed at 

www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/agropecuaria/lspa.

Among the Major Regions, the volume of production of cereals, legumes and oilseeds showed the following distribution: Central-West, 78.9 million metric tons; South, 70.7 million metric tons; Southeast, 18.7 million metric tons; Northeast, 16.7 million metric tons; and North, 5.2 million metric tons. The comparison with the last harvest registered increases of 0.6% in the Central-West Region, of 40.1% in the Northeast and of 5.6% in the North. The South and Southeast Regions recorded, respectively, a decrease of 3.2% and of 5.6% over the production last year. In the 2014 survey, Mato Grosso led the national production of grains with a contribution of 23.9%, followed by Paraná (17.6%) and Rio Grande do Sul (16.2%). These states together accounted for 57.7% of the national forecast.

Estimate of February in relation to January´s

In the February survey, the following changes in the estimated production stood out in relation to the January´s estimates: coffea arabica (-1.4%), coffea canephora (-2.1%), onions (3.9%), beans - 2nd crop (-0.9%), corn - 1st crop (-1.9%) and soybeans (-3.1%).

February estimate in relation to the production in 2013

Among the 26 main products, 12 posted positive percentage changes in the estimated production over the last year: upland cottonseed (11.9%), paddy rice (6.3%), potatoes - 1st crop (1.4%), potatoes - 2nd crop (6.9%), coffee grain - canephora (11.9%), sugarcane (0.7%), bean seed - 1st crop (61.9%), bean seed - 2nd crop (10.4%), castor beans (367.3%), cassava (10.3%), soybean grain (8.3%) and sorghum grain (6.3%). Fourteen products registered negative changes: peanuts in the shell - 1st crop (8.0%), peanuts in the shell - 2nd crop (15.7%), oat grain (9.2%), potatoes - 3rd crop (2.3%), cacao nuts (4.2%), coffee grain - arabica (3.2%), onions (2.4%), barley grain (17.3%), bean seed - 3rd crop (3.6%), oranges (0.7%), corn grain - 1st crop (3.4%), corn grain - 2nd crop (9.5%), wheat grain (15.5%) and triticale grain (13.0%).

In absolute numbers, the most significant increases in the production compared with the 2013 harvest were: soybeans, sugarcane and cassava. Also in absolute numbers, the highest negative changes in this annual comparison were reported by corn - 2nd crop, corn - 1st crop and wheat.

UPLAND COTTONSEED - The production of 3.8 million metric tons was 11.9% higher than that of 2013 (3.4 million metric tons), mainly due to the increased planted area (11.7%), as a result of the good price perspectives for the crop to be harvested in 2014. Mato Grosso was the main producer, accounting for 59.8% of the overall production. By recording an increase of 23.8% in the harvested area and in the area to be harvested, as well as an increase of 22.1% in the production, this state should add up to 2.3 million metric tons.

PADDY RICE - The national harvest of 12,499,161 metric tons should be 6.3% higher than that of 2013. The estimated average yield of 5,268 kg/ha was higher than that of the previous year (5.2%), leading to an increased production in spite of the reduction of 0.2% in the planted area. Rio Grande do Sul was the biggest producer, accounting for 67.8% of the overall participation. The average yield of 7,582 kg/ha was the highest in Brazil, as well as the area to be harvested (1,117,675 ha).

COFFEE GRAIN TOTAL - The national crop of coffee to be harvested in 2014 added up to 2,922,303 metric tons, according to the February estimate. Computing the two species (arabica and canephora), the national crop was equivalent to 48.7 million 60kg sacks of processed coffee grain and represented an increase of 0.1% in relation to the crop harvested in 2013. To be confirmed the current negative estimates for coffea arabica - which accounted for 75.2% of the production -, the 2014 harvest will be different from the last 21 years, as a result of two consecutive off years (2013 and 2014).  The alternate harvest was uninterruptedly registered from 1992 to 2013, as available in the time series of IBGE´s Municipal Agricultural Production survey. The even years produced full harvests and the odd, short harvests. To be confirmed the February survey, the "reversion of alternation" will take place through the reduction of the total planted area (-1.3%) and of the expected average yield (-1.4%) in relation to January estimates. The reversion was due to the mismatch between low prices for the producers and high production costs, as a consequence of the crisis in the international prices, which got worse since November 2012 and continued until the end of 2013. Decreased average yield has been reported here and there, since high temperatures and low rainfall in early 2014 happened to be negative events during the crucial period of grain "filling".

SUGARCANE: The national production of sugarcane estimated for 2014 recorded a growth of 0.7% over 2013, reaching 743.1 million metric tons. The area to be harvested posted an increase of 0.4%. The average yield should increase 0.3%. 65.5% of the national production was concentrated in the Southeast Region. Accounting for 53.8% of the Brazilian production, the state of São Paulo reported a decreased estimate of 1.2% in the production in relation to 2013. The drought in the beginning of the year will be better assessed along the vegetative growth phase.

BEAN SEED 1st crop - The first national harvest of beans was estimated at 1,767,135 metric tons, representing a growth of 61.9% over the production in 2013. This was the result of an increase of 19.4% in the planted area and of 22.2% in the average yield. The biggest producers of this harvest of beans were Paraná (23.9%), Minas Gerais (12.2%) and Ceará (12.0%).

CASSAVA - The estimated production for 2014 was 23,381,402 metric tons, a positive change of 10.3% in the estimated production for 2014 when compared with 2013. The total area decreased 1.5%. The drought in the Northeast Region, which continued for two years, prevented the recovery of the supply of roots until the end of 2013. Nevertheless, the Northeast Region registered positive perspectives for 2014, like in the area to be harvested (+7.7%) and in the average yield (+22.6%).

CORN GRAIN - Computing the two harvests, the national production was estimated at 74,945,373 metric tons. Considering an estimated decrease of 1.2% in the area to be harvested, the production estimate was 7.0% lower than the total harvested in 2013 (80,547,039 metric tons). Despite the decrease, Paraná and Mato Grosso reported high technology plantings. Estimated at 33,013,136 metric tons, the first crop posted an estimated decrease of 3.4% in the production and of 0.6% in the planted area. The production for the second crop was estimated at 41,932,237 metric tons, 9.5% lower than that in 2013, though higher than the first crop. Mato Grosso should record a fall of 19.0% in the production of the second crop. To be confirmed the estimates, 2014 could be the third consecutive year in which the volume of the second crop was higher than that of the first crop.

SOYBEAN GRAIN - Soybeans posted an estimated increase in the production of 8.3% over 2013, representing a new record. The planted area was 6.2% bigger, the area to be harvested surpassed that of the previous year by 6.4% and the average yield should exceed the value of 2,932 kg/ha registered in the previous harvest and reach 2,984 kg/ha, an increase of 1.8%. The good perspectives in the international market and the prices practiced in 2013 justified these increases in 2014. Accounting for 30.0% of the national production (26.5 million metric tons), Mato Grosso was the biggest producer of soybeans. The harvest in this state faced excess of rain in the mid-north, the major producing area, thus damaging part of it. Asian rust was also reported at the end of the cycle.

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.