The value of agricultural production reached R$ 154.0 billion in 2010, being 8.9% up in relation to 2009, mainly due to the higher prices of agricultural products in the foreign market. Planted area remained at 65 million hectares, but agricultural production has recorded increase because of new technologies, investments and mild climate.

 

Among the main products accounting for this increase are sugarcane, which recorded a rise of 3.7% in output and of 14.9% in production value, and coffee, with respective figures of 19.1% and 34.4%. Also relevant are the results of oranges and herbaceous cotton, with production increase of 28.3% and 19.4%, respectively.

 

São Paulo remained as the leader in terms of participation in the national production value, with increase from 16.8% in 2009 to 18.2% in 2010. Mato Grosso faced decrease from 11.3% to 8.9%, mainly due to the reduction of its percent participation in the national production value of soybeans, the main item produced by this state.

 

Sorriso (MT), a leading municipality in national agricultural output for two consecutive years, fell to the 3^rd position in 2010, after São Desidério (BA) and Cristalina (GO).

 

These and other data are available in Municipal Agricultural Survey (PAM) 2010, which measures fundamental harvest variables of the 64 main products of temporary and permanent crops in the country.

 

The complete PAM 2010 is available at

https://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/economia/pam/2010/default.shtm

 

Among the 64 products surveyed, three crops accounted for 52.5% of the production value: soybeans, sugarcane and corn. Soybeans still keeps the highest production value (24.2%), in spite of the decrease over results in 2009 (27.0%). Corn also reduced its participation from 10.7% in 2009 to 9.9% in 2010. Among the products which recorded increase, the highlights were sugarcane, with 18.4% (versus 17.0% in 2009), and coffee, with 7.5% (versus 6.1%, in the previous edition).

 

Record production of 149.6 million metric tons of grains is 11.7% bigger than in 2009

 

The 14 products classified as cereals, legumes and oilseeds, more commonly known as grains (herbaceous cotton, peanuts rice, oats, barley, beans, sunflower seeds, castor beans, corn, soybeans, sorghum and triticale) had a record harvest (149.6 million metric tons) in 2010, 11.7% over the 2009 figure. The main highlights were soybeans and corn, which accounted for 83.6% of the overall grain production.

Leader for two years, Sorriso (MT) fell to the 3rd position in the ranking of production value

São Paulo is still the leader in terms of the state distribution of production value, with increase of participation from 16.8% in 2009 to 18.2% in 2010. The state is the main producer of important crops that recorded production increase in 2010, among which are sugarcane (14.9%), oranges (28.3%), peanuts (4.5%), banana (24.4%), lemon (38.1%) and tangerine (8.0%). Besides that, revenue with agriculture fell in other states, as in Mato Grosso for example, with reduction of R$ 2.3 billion in production value. Out of this figure, R$ 1.8 billion alone referred to soybeans, a crop of which this state is the main national producer, with 27.3% of the national production. As a consequence, Mato Grosso faced decrease from 11.3% to 8.9%, being surpassed by Minas Gerais, the participation of which rose from 10.9% to 11.8%.

 

The fall of soybeans caused Sorriso (MT), a municipality with major production value in 2008 and 2009, to face reduction by 30.6% in revenue and fall to the 3rd position, being surpassed by São Desidério (BA) and Cristalina (GO), which had increases of 0.6% and 39.6%, respectively. In spite of that, Sorriso remains as the main Brazilian producer of corn and soybeans.  São Desidério is a highlight, the main producer of herbaceous cotton (with 15.7% of the Brazilian production and 46.5% of the production in Bahia state).

 

Municipalities of Goiás were other highlights among those which recorded highest production value. Cristalina went from the 7th position in 2009, to 2nd, in 2010, featuring among the main national producers of beans, corn and soybeans. Jataí, which was in the 13th position in 2009, went to 5th place, with increase of 37.9% in production value, mainly due to the contribution of sugarcane (with increase of 144.3%,), beans (99.2%), corn (67.8%) and soybeans (22.5%). Chapadão do Céu, which recorded increase of 60.8% in production value, is the biggest producer of herbaceous cotton in Goiás, and accounts for 27.0& of the state production.

New production record: soybeans reaches 68.8 million metric tons

In 2010, the crops of soybeans established a new production record. A total 68.8 million metric tons were harvested, what represented increase of 19.9% over the previous year. Climatic conditions were mild and producers increased the harvesting area by about 7%. The area planted in 2010 amounted to 23.3 million hectares, versus 21.7 million hectares in the season of 2009, and soybeans reached areas usually used for corn, in the South Region, and for cotton and rice, mainly in Mato Grosso.

 

Mato Grosso remained as the national leader, with 18.8 million metric tons, despite its decrease in participation from 31.7%, recorded in 2009, to 27.3% , in 2010. In the ranking of the 20 biggest producing municipalities, 13 come from Mato Grosso, with Sorriso as the main highlight, followed, in this order, by Sapezal, Nova Mutum and Campo Novo do Parecis, all of which recorded output above one million metric tons.

 

Production value of soybeans increases by 14.9%

The Brazilian production of sugarcane reached 717.5 million metric tons in 2010, with increase of  3.7%. With the higher prices of sugar in the international market, and the better prices of ethanol in the internal market, the production value of sugarcane reached almost R$ 28.3 billion, representing increase of 14.9% in relation to 2009. Ethanol was the second product in terms of value among all the 64 items surveyed, being second to soybeans only.

São Paulo, the main sugarcane producer, accounted for 59.5% of the Brazilian production, with increase of 4.4% over the previous year. Paraná state was the most affected by the dry period.  In spite of the increase of 30 thousand hectares in harvested area (5.1%), production fell by more than 5.0 million metric tons (10.2%). Morro Agudo (SP) recorded the biggest production, of about eight million metric tons, followed by Rio Brilhante (MS), with 6.8 million.

 

Production of corn increases by 9.8% despite reduction of planted area

 

The national production of corn in grain in 2010 was 55.7 million metric tons, representing increase of 9.8% over 2009. Planted area was down 8.2%, and harvested area, 7.0%, mainly due to the lack of incentive to planting caused by the existence of big amounts in stock, of higher production costs and of the low prices charged in the planting period.

 

A milder climate than in 2009 was the main factor accounting for the increase (18.0%) of the average national yield per hectare. That was specially true in Paraná, the main producing state, the output of which, 13.6 million metric tons represented increase of 20.5% in relation to the previous year. Sorriso (MT), the main national producer since 2007, surpassed the figure of 1 million metric tons, with production increase of 17.2% in relation to 2009. Lucas do Rio Verde (MT) was in the second position, with 794.0 thousand metric tons.

 

Coffee output up by 19.1%

 

The coffee harvest in 2010 totaled by 2.9 million metric tons, or 48.4 million 60 kg-sacks of the product as processed grains versus 40.7 million ones in 2009, with increase of 19.1% in the national production. A bigger output was expected, as a result of the characteristics of arabica coffee, a predominant species in Brazil, which alternates periods of high and low productivity.

 

Minas Gerais, the biggest national producer, ended the 2010 harvest with 1.5 million metric tons (25.1 million sacks), with output of 25.8% bigger than in 2009. The municipalities of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo prevail among the 20 main producers. Patrocínio (MG) was the biggest national coffee producer in 2010, with increase of 91.6% over the previous year.

 

Production of cassava reaches 24.5 million metric tons

 

The national production of cassava reached 24.5 million metric tons of roots in 2010, an increase of 0.5% in relation to the previous year and decrease of 8.1% in relation to the total harvested in 2008. The states of Pará, Paraná and Bahia produced, together, 11.8 million metric tons, 48.2% of the national total. Pará is the main producer of cassava, with a contribution of 4.6 million metric tons, or 18.7% of the total, being followed by Paraná, with 4.0 million metric tons (16.4%) and Bahia, with 3.2 million metric tons (13.1%). Among the 20 biggest producing municipalities in the country, 13 were located in Pará, being the main highlights the first two municipalities in the ranking, Acará and Santarém, which produced 435.6 thousand and 273.0 thousand metric tons, respectively. 

 

Paddy rice faces decrease of 11.2% in production

 

The national production of paddy rice in 2010 was 11.2 million metric tons, 11.2% lower than in  2009. The area harvested was 2.7 million hectares, with average yield of 4,127 kg/ha. Rio Grande do Sul, the biggest Brazilian producer, responsible for 61.2% of the national production of this cereal, with decrease of 13.8% in production, 3.9% in harvested area and 10.2% in average yield. Among the 20 biggest national producers only one is not located in Rio Grande do Sul: the exception is Lagoa da Confusão (TO). The main highlight among them is Uruguaiana, the biggest producer, with 507.8 thousand metric tons.

 

Production of beans 9.4% down over 2009

 

The national production of beans obtained in 2010, considering the three harvests of this product, amounted to 3.2 million metric tons, 9.4% less than in 2009. The weak performance of this product last year occurred mainly due to the implementation of 1^st and 2^nd harvests, which affected planting, and also of harsh climatic conditions in important production centers. The harvested area was 3.4 million hectares, representing decrease of 16.7% over the previous year. Paraná remained as the main producer, with 25.1% of the national total and production of 792 thousand metric tons, 0.6% above that of 2009.

 

The 20 main municipalities which produce beans, accounting for a total 812 thousand metric tons, represented 25.8 % of the national production. Unaí (MG) remained as the leader, with 127.5 thousand metric tons, followed by Cristalina and Luziânia, both in Goiás, with output of 71.9 thousand and 53.2 thousand metric tons, respectively.

 

Harvest of herbaceous cotton increases by 1.8% in relation to 2009

 

The output of cotton in 2010 was 2.9 million metric tons, with increase of 1.8% over 2009. Mato Grosso, the main producing state, accounted for 49.3% of the production (1.4 million metric tons), having consolidated the method of “harvest inversion”, in which the producer plants cotton in an area of higher density and after the harvesting of soybeans.

 

In Bahia, the second biggest producer, the climate favored planting and led to increase of average yield by 18.7% in relation to 2009, resulting in 996.2 thousand metric tons (33.8% of the national production). In spite of the production decrease (4.6%) in 2010, São Desidério (BA) remained as the biggest national producer, accounting for 15.7% of the national harvest and for 46.5% of the output in Bahia.

 

Mild climate leads to record production of wheat: 6.2 million metric tons

 

The production of wheat in 2010 reached 6.2 million metric tons, 22.1% above that of 2009, a national record in spite of representing a reduction of 10.2% in planted area. The main reason was the favorable climate, mainly in Paraná, the main state in terms of production, which harvested 3.4 million metric tons, 38.7% more than in the previous year. The five main producing municipalities are in this state, being the main highlight Tibagi, the output of which, 135.6 thousand metric tons increased by 54.1% in relation to 2009.

 

Oranges lead to production increase of 16.9% in relation to results of 2009

 

National fruticulture, represented by 22 species investigated by PAM, had a good performance in 2010, with a total production value (R$ 20.6 billion) 16.9% higher than that of 2009, even in spite of the increase of 0.3% in harvested area.

 

Orange crops had an output of 18.1 million metric tons (444 million boxes of 40.8 kg each). In 2010, the production value (R$ 6.0 billion) represented 29.1% of the total production value of fruit in the country.

 

The output of bananas in 2010 (almost seven million metric tons of bunches) increased by 2.6% between 2009 and 2010. The production value amounted to R$ 3.7 billion and corresponded to 15.5% of the total production value of fruit production in the country.  

 

Among the fruits facing production decrease, the main highlight was cashew nuts, down 52.7%. Other fruits that recorded lower production were: grapes (-1.0%), watermelon (-0.6%), coconut (-4.1%), mango (-0.7%), persimmon (-4.1%) and quince (-1.1%).

 

Concerning the main food producing states, the main highlight is São Paulo as responsible for 32.9% of the total national production value. The state recorded increase of 40.3% in relation to the previous year, and oranges was the main item accounting for this increase. The main municipal highlight came from Petrolina (PE), with 57.9% of the production in the state and positive change of 40.1% over the production value of the previous year.