In 2020, national cattle herd grew by 1.5% and reached 218.2 million head, biggest amount since 2016. The Central West accounted for 34.6% of the total (75.4 million). The North Region recorded the biggest increase: 2.7 million head of cattle, adding up to 52.4 million. Mato Grosso is still on top of the ranking, with 32.7 million head of cattle, an increase of 2.3% against 2019. Among the municipalities, São Félix do Xingú (PA), was in the first position with 2.4 million head of cattle and an increase of 5.4%, in the year. Data come from the Survey of Municipal Information (PPM) 2020.

The value of production of the msin agricultural products increased by 27.1% in 2020 and reached R$ 75.5 billion. Milk production accounted for 74.9& of the total, followed by production of hen eggs (23.6%), honey (0.8%), quail eggs (0.5%), wool (0.1%) and silkworm cocoons (0.1%). The Southeast region accounted for the highest value of production, with 36.3% of the total, followed by the South, with 31.9% (R$ 24.04 billion). Minas Gerais was the leader in terms of value of production: R$ 17.8 billion, with 89.8% of this amount (R$ 15.99 billion) coming from milk production.

The national production of milk hit a record 35.4 billion liters in 2020, with an increase of 1.5% against 2019. Minas Gerais is still the leader regarding milk production: 9.7 billion liters or 27.3% of the national overall, with an increase of 2.6% a year. Castro (PR) is the main milk producer in the country, accounting for 363.9 million liters.

The national production of hen eggs hit a new record: 4.8 billion dozen in 2020, with an increase of 3.5% against 2019. In 2020, mainly during the pandemic, eggs were consumed as a cheaper source of protein. The state of São Paulo, biggest producer in Brazil, held 25.6% of the national output. Santa Maria de Jetibá (ES) was the main producer in 2020, with 371.6 thousand dozen.

Fish farming grew by 4.3% and reached 551.9 thousand metric tons. Paraná is still on top of this raking, with 25.4% of the national output. Nova Aurora (PR) concentrates 3.6% of the fish farming in Brazil. Shrimp farming grew by 14.1% and total production was 63.2 thousand metric tons. Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará althogether accounted for 68.0% of the production and Aracati (CE) is the main producer, with 3.9 thousand metric tons.

São Félix do Xingú (PA) keeps the biggest cattle herd in the country

In 2020, the rise of live cattle prices and the growth of exports added to the increase of cattle by 1.5% against 2019, having reached 218,150,298 cattle head. That was the biggest number of cattle since 2016 (218,190,768 head).

Mato Grosso and Goiás kept the biggest cattle herd in the country, having accounted, altogether, for 25.8% of the national inventory. In Mato Grosso inventory increased by 2.3%, amounting to 32.7 million head. Goiás recorded an increase of 3.5% and closed 2020 with 23.6 million cattle head. Pará came in the third position, with 22.3 million, an increase of 6.3%. Number four in the ranking, having lost the third position to Pará, is Minas Gerais, with an annual increase of 6.6% in herd, which amounted to 22.2 million cattle head.

The biggest herd is still that of São Félix do Xingú (PA): 2.4 million head, an increase of 5.4% in the year. Corumbá (MS) followed with 1.8 million With an increase of 11.8% in herd (1.3 million bovine), Marabá (PA) went from the fifth to the third position.

With 35.4 billion liters, milk production hits a record in volume and price

In 2020, the national output of milk reached 35.4 billion liters, a record in the survey, with an increase of 1.5% against 2019. Minas Gerais remained on top of the ranking, with 9.7 billion liters (or 27.3% of the national total) and an increase of 2.6% in relation to 2019. Minas Gerais also recorded the highest value of milk production among the states, R$ 16.0 billion, with an increase of 38.9% against 2019. In the second position, Paraná accounted for R$ 7.8 billion and and increase of 34.4% in the year.

Seven of the ten main municipalities in this segment, seven are located in Minas Gerais, but Castro, in Paraná, was in the first position, accounting for 36.,9 million liters, with an annual increase of 30.0% and value of production of R$ 651.4 million. In the second position was Carambeí (PR), with 224.8 million liters of milk, an increase of 24.9% in the year and a value of production of R$ 402.4 million. Patos de Minas (MG) fell to the third position, with 195.0 million liters (-0.4%, in the year) and with a value of production of R$ 352.9 million (an increase of 39.7%).

Milked cow amounted to 16.2 million head, 0.8% below the 2019 figure. Two of the three highlights in the sector recorded decreases: Minas Gerais (-0.5%) and Goiás (-0.4%). Paraná, with the third biggest milking herd in the country, recorded an increase of 1.5% and amounted to 1.3 million milked cows. Minas still holds the biggest milking hed in Brazil: 3.1 million head or 19.3% of the total. Goiás was in the second position, with 1.9 million.

About 72.2% of the milk production (25.6 billion liters) was acquired by establishments under sanitary inspection, according to the Quarterly Survey of Milk Production, also conducted by the IBGE. That means this percentage went through some type of processing. The remaining production was directed to the consumption of families and to direct sales. The average price paid for the liter of milk rose 28.9% in 2020, and reached R$ 1.59 per liter. Value of production increased by 30.8% against 2019 and reached R$ 56.5 billion.

Santa Catarina has biggest herd of hogs and pigs

Brazil has the fourth biggest herd of hogs and pigs, and it is the major producer of pork and the fourth major exporter. In 2020, the country had 4.11 million hogs and pigs, an increase of 1.4% against 2019. The number of breeders recorded the third consecutive increase 91.4%) and reached 4.8 million head. Santa Catarina was the leader among states with 7.8 million head, and an increase of 2.8% in the year. Other highlights were Paraná (6.9 million) and Rio Grande do Sul (5.9 million). Toledo (PR) was the main producer, with 1.2 million hogs and pigs, or 2.9% of the national total. Rio Verde (GO), with 660.0 thousand head, and Uberlândia (MG), with 632.2 thousand, also stood out.

Paraná accounts for 26.7% of the poultry inventory

The total poultry – roosters, hens, chickens, pullets and chicks– amounted to 1.5 billion head, 1.5% bigger than in the previous year, with an increase of 21.7 million. Paraná has led the ranking since 2005, with 26.7% of the national inventory. Other highlights were: São Paulo (13.6%), Rio Grande do Sul (11.1%), Santa Catarina (9.2%) and Minas Gerais (8.1%). Among the municipalities, Santa Maria de Jetibá (ES) has been responsible for the biggest poultry inventory since 2016. It was followed by Cascavel (PR), Bastos (SP), Itaberaí (GO) and Cianorte (PR).

The inventory of hens for egg production amounted to 252.6 million, with an increase of 2.0% in the year. São Paulo had the biggest inventory, 21.4% of the national total, followed by Paraná (9.9%), Minas Gerais (8.3%), Rio Grande do Sul (7.9%) and Espírito Santo (7.2%). The three municipalities leading the ranking are Santa Maria de Jetibá (ES), Bastos (SP) and São Bento do Una (PE).

Production of eggs reaches 4.8 billion dozen and hits new record

A total of 4.8 billion dozen were produced in 2020, an increase of 3.5% against the output estimated for 2019. Having generated R$ 17.8 billion, production hit another record in the time series and, since 1999, has grown each year. In 2020, especially in the pandemic, eggs were used as an alternative protein, due to lower prices. A comparison between data from PPM with information from the production of Hen Eggs (POG), another survey conducted by the IBGE, we see that 83.1% of the national egg production came from medium and small sized farms.

São Paulo. remained as the main producer, responsible for 25.6% of the national production of eggs, followed by Paraná (94%) and Minas Gerais (8.5%). No changes were recorded by the main five producing municipalities: The top municipality was Santa Maria de Jetibá (ES), followed by Bastos (SP), Itanhandu (MG), Primavera do Leste (MT) and São Bento do Una (PE).

Santa Maria de Jetibá (ES) has biggest quail inventory in the country

In 2020, quail inventory amounted to 16.5 million birds and the production of quail eggs reached 295.9 million dozens, both recording decreases, of 5.2% and 6.2%, respectively. The highlights were Espírito Santo (23.4% of quails and 25.1% of eggs); São Paulo (22.5% of quaila and 22.7% of eggs) and Minas Gerais (16.2% of quails and 17.0% of eggs). The three states recorded decreases, both in terms of the inventory of quails and of production of eggs.

Santa Maria de Jetibá (ES) recorded a decrease of 0.7%, with a total 3.7 million head and a decrease of 9.1% in production of eggs, which amounted to 70.0 million dozen. In São Paulo, the municipality of Bastos was the main producer, and occupied the second position in the national ranking, regarding both number of quails and production of quail eggs.

Bahia holds 30.1% of the goats and 22.8% of the ship in Brazil

In 2020, there was an increase of 4.0% in herd of goats and of 3.3% in herd of sheep, 12.1 million and 20.6 million head, respectively. Bahia remained leading the ranking for both types of herd, with 30.1% of the national herd of goats and 22.8% of the herd of sheep, whose ranking this state started to lead in 2016, when Rio Grande do Sul went to second position. Pernambuco followed, with 25.8% of the national herd of goats and 16.0% of the total sheep.

Seven of the ten main municipalities in terms of inventory of sheep were located in Bahia. The other three, in Pernambuco. In 2020, the five leading municipalities were Casa Nova (BA), Floresta (PE), Juazeiro (BA), Curaçá (BA) and Petrolina (PE).

The five biggest herd of sheep were found in Casa Nova (BA), Remanso (BA), Juazeiro (BA), Sant’ana do Livramento (RS) and Dormentes (PE).

Production of honey increases by 12.5% and hits record figure of 51.5 thousand metric tons

In 2020, the national production of honey reached 51.5 thousand metric tons, an increase of 12.5% against the previous year. Value of production also rose, to R$ 621.5 million. Exports grew by 52.2%, since they were benefited by the rise of the dollar throughout 2020, which resulted in the supply of honey in the country. That led to a rise of the price, which added to the rise of 26.2% in value of production.

The main producers are Paraná, responsible for 15.2% of the national total and Rio Grande do Sul, with 14.5%. In the Northeast, the highlights were Piauí, Bahia and Ceará, which accounted for 11.0%, 9.7% and 7.6% of the total in Brazil. In 2020, Arapoti (Paraná) was responsible for the biggest production of honey. The municipality surpassed Ortigueira (PR) and Botucatu (SP), which are now second and third ones in the ranking, followed by Itatinga (SP) and Campo Alegre de Lourdes (BA).

Paraná accounts for 25.4% of fish farming in Brazil

In 2020, fish farming produced 551.9 thousand metric tons, with an increase of 4.3% against 2019. The three main producing states recorded no changes: Paraná, with 25.4% of the national output; São Paulo (10.0%) and Rondônia (8.7%).

Nova Aurora (PR), is still the main municipality in terms of production, accounting for 3.6% of the national output and for 14.0% of the state output.

With an increase of 6.1%, Tilapia is still the main species, and accounts for 62.3% of the total fish produced or for 343.6 thousand metric tons. The South Region is a highlight in terms of tilapia raising, and represents 48.2% of the total produced in the country in 2020. Tambaqui is the second most produced species, with 100.6 thousand metric tons, coming mainly from the North region (73.0% of the total).

Fish farming grew by 14.1% and output amounted to 63.2 thousand metric tons Value of production reached R$ 1.3 million, an increase of 9.3% against 2019. The Northeast Region was responsible for 99.6% of the output in the country, which is led by two states: Rio Grande do Norte (34.8%) and Ceará (33.2%).

Aracati (CE), after two years as second main producer, went back to the first position, with 3.9 thousand metric tons, an increase of 31.1%. Pendências (RN), after two years as main producer, dropped 4.5% and is now in the second position, with an output of 3.7 thousand metric tons.