The fourth estimate of the national harvest of grain, legumes and oilseeds accounted for 191.0 million tonnes, 1.5% higher than that of 2013 (188.2 million tonnes). April's forecast in relation to March was 1.6 million tonnes higher (0.8%). The estimate of the area to be harvested in 2014, of 55.8 million hectares, registered an increase of 5.3%, compared with the harvested area in 2013 (53.0 million hectares), and a rise of 0.3% in relation to the previous month (55.6 million hectares). Together, rice, corn and soybeans, the three major products in this group, represented 91.2% of the output estimate and accounted for 85.0% of the area to be harvested. In relation to the previous year, there were area increments of 1.8% for rice, 7.6% for soybeans and a decrease of 2.5% for corn in the area to be harvested. Concerning production, the increases were of 7.7% for rice and of 6.3% for soybeans. For corn, there was a 7.2% decrease when compared to 2013.

The complete publication can be accessed at 

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

Among the Major Regions, the volume of the production of grains, legumes and oilseeds presented the following distribution: Central-West Region, 78.8 million tonnes; South, 72.1 million tonnes; Southeast, 17.1 million tonnes; Northeast, 18.1 million tonnes; and North, 5.0 million tonnes. Compared with the past harvest, increases are recorded for North, 0.6%, Northeast, 51.2% and Central-West Regions, 0.4%. The South and Southeast presented, respectively, a decrease of 1.3% and 13.4% in relation to the production in the prior year. According to this estimate for 2014, Mato Grosso leads the national production of grains with a contribution of 23.7%, followed by Paraná, with 18.5% and Rio Grande do Sul, with 16.0%. These states together represent 58.2% of the estimated production.

April's estimate in relation to May

In the Systematic Survey of the Agricultural Production of April the highlights were the changes in the following production estimates over March: beans 2nd crop (10.2%), cassava (3.6%), wheat (3.4%), corn 2nd crop (3.2%), coffea canephora (1.7%), soybeans (0.1%), corn 1st crop (-0.9%) and coffea arabica (-4.1%).

April's estimate in relation to the production obtained in 2013

Among the 26 main products, 15 presented positive percentage changes in the production estimate in relation to the previous year: upland cotton seed (23.5%), paddy rice (7.7%), potatoes - 1st crop (7.5%), potatoes - 2nd crop (0.5%), potatoes - 3rd crop (0.4%), coffee beans - canephora (14.9%), onions (13.9%), bean seeds 1st crop (55.5%), bean seeds - 2nd crop (12.2%), oranges (1.0%), castor beans (356.4%), cassava (10.6%), soybean grain (6.3%), sorghum grain (2.1%) and wheat grain (21.2%). With a negative change, there are 11 products: peanuts in the shell - 1st crop (17.8%), peanuts in the shell – 2nd crop (7.2%), oat grain (2.5%), cacao nuts (2.8%), coffee beans - arabica (12.0%), sugarcane (0.2%), barley grain (2.3%), bean seed - 3rd crop (2.4%), corn grain 1st crop (8.5%), corn grain 2nd crop (6.2%) and triticale grain (7.6%).

UPLAND COTTON SEED – Very much the same as the previous month’s, the production of 4.2 million tonnes is 23.5% higher than 2013 (3.4 million tonnes), mainly due to the increase in the planted area (21.2%), attributable to the good prices of the cotton in the crop to be harvested in 2014. Mato Grosso is the main producing state, contributing with 55.6% to the national production, increasing 27.7% in the planted area and in the area to be harvested and 25.1% in the estimated production, which accounts for 2.3 million tonnes.

PADDY RICE – The national harvest, of 12,663,236 tonnes, should be 7.7% higher than that of 2013 (11,758,663 tonnes). The estimated average yield, of 5,298 kg/ha, is higher than the previous one by 5.8% and the harvested area, by 1.8%. Rio Grande do Sul is the biggest national producer, contributing with 68.1% to the national result. The average yield of 7,733 kg/ha is the Country's largest, as well as the area to be harvested, of 1,115.588 ha.

TOTAL COFFEE BEANS – The national crop of coffee to be harvested in 2014 totals 2,744,165 tonnes, or 45.7 million sacks of 60 kg of improved coffee beans, summing up the two species (arabica e canephora). It represents a decrease of 6.1% in relation to the crop harvested in 2013. The 2014 harvest indicates a different year from the last 22 ones, in case the current negative forecast for coffea arabica is fulfilled. The cause is a two-year period of low harvests (2013 and 2014), already accumulating a 12.0% loss (4.6 million sacks) over 2013, due to the droughts and high temperatures seen right in the grain filling stage of coffee beans.

SUGARCANE – The sugarcane national production estimated for 2014 is 737,770,730 tonnes and records decrease of 0.2% in relation to 2013. The area to be harvested posts a drop of 0.4%. The average yield might fall 0.6%. The Southeast Region concentrates 65.9% of the national production. São Paulo, responsible for 54.9% of the Brazilian production remained unchanged in relation to 2013, according to the state GCEA. Due to the droughts seen in the beginning of the year, the estimates might be revised for the next months.

BEAN SEEDS – The forecast for beans in general in 2014 is of 3,690,340 tonnes, 25m7% higher than 2013's production. The planted area was estimated at 3,308,056 hectares, 8m8% bigger than 2013's. The biggest producers are: Paraná, with 24.9%, Minas Gerais, with 16.3% and Goiás, with 9.0% of contribution to the national production. Minas Gerais decreased the planted area by 6.1% over 2013 and increased by 8.5% the average yield, which indicates a production estimate of 600,233 tonnes, 6.4% higher than the previous year’s production. Paraná increased its planting area by 4.6% and estimates a rise of 27.0% in the average yield, with a production estimate of 917,412 tonnes, 32.8% higher than 2013's, as already published in March. Goiás increased its planted area (estimated at 140,584 ha) by 8.3%, and posts a rise of 5.5% in the average yield, with a production of 331,443 tonnes, 14.3% higher than 2013's.

ORANGES – In 2014, Brazil should harvest 16,452,150 t of oranges (403.2 million boxes of 40.8 kg), 1.0% higher than the crop harvested in 2013. São Paulo, the biggest producer of the country, with 71.9% of contribution to the national production, indicates a production of 11,830,000 t (290,0 million boxes) - as already released in March. The year 2013 accumulated losses in the citriculture of São Paulo, observed since 2012 (mainly). The reduction in the export flow of juice made things difficult for the trading of fruits, which, in some cases, got rotten in the orchards. The European Market crisis and the sanctions imposed by the USA, major buyer of the Brazilian juice, stand out as responsible for the drops in the national citriculture. There was elimination of orchards in 2013 - a reflex of the hard period citriculture undergoes nowadays, especially when it comes to orange for juice. Phytosanitary problems persist, such as CVC (Citrus Variegated Chlorosis), black spot, leprosis, citrus canker and mainly citrus greening, a bacterial disease which has been demanding preventive measures by the state government.

CASSAVA (roots) – The estimated production for 2014 is of 23,473,874 tonnes, a change of +10.6% in the production estimate when compared with 2013. The total area grows 7,0%. The droughts in the Northeast, which lasted for more than two years, prevented the recovering of the roots supply until the end of 2013. However, the region has positive projections for 2014, both for the estimated production (+28.5%) and for the average yield (+25.1%).

CORN GRAIN – TOTAL – The national production is estimated at 74,751,037 tonnes, 7.2% below the total harvested in 2013, which was 80,516,571 tonnes, with an estimated decrease of 2.5% in the area to be harvested. The first crop, estimated at 31,258,172, presents an probable drop of 8.5%, with a planted area down 3.4%. For the 2nd crop, a production of 43,492,865 tonnes is expected, 6.2% lower than 2013's. Mato Grosso might fall 19.6 % in the 2nd crop production. If those projections are confirmed, 2014 could be the third consecutive year in which a greater volume of the national production of the 2nd crop will be seen in comparison with the 1st crop.

SOYBEAN GRAIN – Soybeans present a production estimate increase of 6.3% in relation to 2013, totaling 86,887,561 tonnes. The planted area was 7.5% bigger, the area to be harvested surpassed last year's by 7.6%, but the national average yield is now estimated at 2,898 kg/ha, a 1.2% decrease, due to the high temperatures and long droughts in the beginning of the year, when the grain filling stage takes place. The same happened in São Paulo, where the average yield fell 27.8% over last year. The good international market forecast and prices practiced in 2013 explain the area increases and the record production for 2014, despite the problems which affected the average yield.

The soybean main producer is Mato Grosso, participating with 30.3% of the national production. This state faced, differently from other regions, excessive rainfall in the central-north area (which is the biggest producing region), affecting the harvest and causing the loss of more than 15.000 ha. Asian soybean rust also stroke the crops in 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 Grains (rice, corn, oat, rye, barley, sorghum, wheat and triticale), Legumes (peanuts and beans) and Oilseeds (cotton seed, castor beans, soybeans and sunflower) 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 November, 2007) of harmonization of official harvest estimates for the main Brazilian crops.