The sixth estimate of the national harvest of cereals, legumes and oilseeds added up to 192.5 million metric tons, 2.3% higher than that obtained in 2013 (188.2 million metric tons) and 0.1% higher than the survey of May 2014. The estimated area to be harvested in 2014, 56.3 million hectares, represented an increase of 6.6% over the harvested area in 2013 (52.9 million hectares) and an increase of 0.2% over the previous month (56.2 million hectares). Rice, corn and soybeans were the three main products in this group, which altogether represented 91.0% of the production estimate and accounted for 85.1% of the area to be harvested. In relation to the previous year, there were area increases of 0.3% for rice, 8.6% for soybeans and  stability in the area to be harvested with corn. Concerning production, the rises were 4.3% for rice and 6.0% for soybeans. The decrease for corn was 5.3% when compared with 2013. The complete publication can be accessed at www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/agropecuaria/lspa.

By areas, the production volume of cereals, legumes and oilseeds had the following distribution: Central-West, 80.1 million metric tons; South, 72.7 million metric tons; Southeast, 17.2 million metric tons; Northeast, 17.4 million metric tons; and North, 5.1 million metric tons. Comparing to the last crops, there was an increase of 3.7% in the North Region, of 45.6% in the Northeast and of 2.1% in the Central-West Region. The South and Southeast Regions presented, respectively, a decrease of 0.5% and 13.0%. In the estimate for 2014, Mato Grosso comes as the leader in cereal production, with a contribution of 24.1%, followed by Paraná (18.5%) and Rio Grande do Sul (16.0%), which, altogether, represent 58.6% of the total.

Estimate of June 2014 over production in 2013

Among the 26 main products, 18 recorded a positive percentage change in the production estimate in relation to the previous year: upland cottonseed (26.5%), paddy rice (4.3%), oat grain (6.8%), potatoes - 1st crop (8.0%), potatoes - 2nd crop (0.9%), potatoes - 3rd crop (0.7%), cacao nut (4.3%), coffee beans - canephora (16.9%), sugarcane (0.3%), onions (14.0%), barley grain (2.7%), bean seed - 1st crop (48.7%), bean seed - 2nd crop (10.6%), oranges (0.9%), castor beans (196.9%), cassava (9.5%), soybean grain (6.0%) and wheat grain (37.7%). With a negative change, there were eight products: peanuts in the shell - 1st crop (19.2%), peanuts in the shell – 2nd crop (15.9%), coffee beans - arabica (12.9%), bean seed - 3rd crop (10.3%), corn grain - 1st crop (8.7%), corn grain - 2nd crop (2.9%), sorghum grain (8.6%) and triticale grain (3.2%).

UPLAND COTTON (seed) – the production estimate is of 4.3 million metric tons, a growth of 26.5% in relation to the previous year. Producers increased the planted area by 21.0% due to the price of the arroba of cotton, which rebounded and rose after a two-year downfall. The main producer is Mato Grosso, which contributes with 58.0% of the national overall, (2.5 million metric tones), 33.7% bigger than in the previous year contribution.

RICE (paddy) – The estimated production for 2014 reaches 12.3 million metric tones, 4.3% greater than in 2013. Rio Grande do Sul is the principal producer, accounting for 68.1% of the total harvested. The planting areas usually do not post a great change, since they are systematized towards this end, with prevalence of irrigated production. The producers in Rio Grande do Sul in the latest years have been working to enhance the average yield of rice through the improvement of the planting techniques and cultural treatments.

COFFEE (grain) – June's estimate for the national coffee crop is of 2.7 million metric tones, which represents a reduction of 6.3% in relation to the crop harvested in 2013. Production forecast for the species Coffea arabica was kept at 1,979,070 metric tons. The estimate for the species Coffea canephora is now measured at 757.430 metric tones, up 2.1% in relation to May's estimate.

SUGARCANE – The estimated production for 2014 achieves 12.3 million metric tones, 0.3% greater than the one obtained in 2013. Although sugarcane crops are expanding towards the Central-West Region, it should be noted that the dry and hot weather which prevailed in January and February, mainly in São Paulo, the biggest national producer and responsible for 54.6% of the total, affected the crop's yield.

BEANS (grain) – The production estimate in 2014 is of 3.5 million metric tones, a rise of 21.0% in relation to the previous year, which shows a rebound. This production must be enough to suffice the domestic demand, which is around 3.5 million metric tones. The production increase was fueled by the price rise caused by production drops in 2013 due to the lower result from the Northeast Region because of the droughts in 2012 and 2013.

ORANGES – The production estimate for oranges in 2014 reaches 16.4 million metric tones or 402.9 million boxes, an increase of 0.9% in relation to 2013. São Paulo, the main producer, accounts for 72.0% of the production.

CASSAVA (roots) – The production of cassava is rebounding in 2014, with growth of 9.5%. The country must harvest 23.2 million metric tones, with an increase of 10.8% in the planted area. The production grows 22.6% in the Northeast Region, due to the rainy weather of the previous two years, when many producing areas were stricken by the droughts. In the Central-West and North Regions, production is growing 8.6% and 6.2%, respectively.

CORN (grain) TOTAL – The expected production is of 76.3 million metric tones, a decrease of 5.3% in relation to 2013. The production drop of 1st corn crop reached 8.7% in relation to 2013. The production of corn - 2nd crop records fall of 2.9% in relation to the previous year. This is a high base of comparison, since, in 2013, corn - 2nd crop production was a record due to the favorable weather and to the prices, which rose because of the American crop shortfall.

SOYBEANS (grain) – The estimated production achieves 86.6 million metric tones, a rise of 6.0% in relation to 2013. Producers invested in the planting of the legume because of the attractive prices practiced by the market. Mato Grosso is the main producer, participating with 30.4% of the total, followed by Paraná (17.1%), Rio Grande do Sul (15.1%), Goiás (10.2%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (7.3%).

SORGHUM (grain) TOTAL – The expected production must reach 1.9 million metric tones, a decrease of 8.6% in relation to 2013. This cereal is used in the production of animal feed and, therefore, competes with corn, which usually presents better prices. When the weather is favorable in the Central-West Region, which is responsible for 63.7% of the production, producers prioritize corn planting instead of sorghum. However, the latter is preferred when the weather is drier since it is rustic and more tolerable to water scarcity.

WHEAT (grain) – Wheat production is growing 37.7%, if compared with 2013, and should reach 7.9 million metric tones. The crops' success is attributable to the favorable weather in Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, main producers. The production in Paraná records a 113.8% growth in relation to 2013, when the state suffered from cold weather and frosts. However, crops are still in the beginning of the cycle and subject to weathering, mainly the ones which are frequent in the slopes and higher or colder areas. The recent rainfalls in these two states did not rebound onto production, since the information is usually collected in the first fortnight of the month.

June's highlights in the estimates in relation to May 2014

In the comparison with May 2014, the following production estimate changes stand out: sorghum (2.2%), Coffea canephora (2.1%), beans - 3rd crop (1.4%), wheat (0.9%), corn - 1st crop (0.3%), castor beans (-34.9%), beans - 1st crop (-1.2%), upland cotton (-0.9%), beans 2nd crop (-0.6%), corn 2nd crop (-0.3%), rice (-0.5%) and Coffea arabica (-0.2%). The excessive rainfall in the South Region did not generate significant revisions in the production estimates of the main products of the winter crops: corn - 2nd crop, wheat, rye and barley. However, the excessive rainfall exerted a negative influence on beans, reducing the expected average yield in Paraná and Santa Catarina.