In July, the output of cereals, legumes and oilseeds for 2020 was estimated at 250.5 million metric tons and remained at a record level, 3.8% above the figure in 2019 ( 9 million metric tons more) and 1.3% above the estimate in June (3.1 million metric tons more).

The area to be harvested is of 64.9 million hectares, 2.6% more than in 2019 (by 1.7 million hectares) with an increase by 289.0 thousand hectares, 0.4% against the previous estimate.

Rice, corn and soybeans are the three main products in this group, accounting, altogether, for 92.2% of the output estimate and for 87.1% of the area to be harvested. Against 2019, there were increases of 2.2% in the area planted with corn (being 4.0% for 1st crop corn and 1.5% for 2nd crop corn), of 3.1% in the area for soybean and 0.1% in the area for upland cotton, and a decrease of 1.5% in the area for rice.

In comparison with figures of last year, the estimate indicates increases of 5.9% for soybean (120.1 million metric tons) and of 7.3% for rice (11.0 million metric tons). Cotton leveled off (at 6.9 million metric tons). A decrease of 0.8% is estimated for corn (being an increase of 2.8% for the 1st crop and a decrease of 2.0% for the 2nd crop), with an output of 99.8 million metric tons (26.7 million metric tons in the 1st crop and 73.1 million metric tons in the 2nd).

The distribution of cereals, legumes and oilseeds was as follows: Central West (118,. million metric tons), South (74.3 million metric tons), Southeast (25.6 million metric tons), Northeast (21.9 million metric tons) and North (10.8 million metric tons). That represents an increase in almost all the Major Regions: Northeast (13.9%), North (9.6%), Southeast (7.9%) and Central West (5.8%). The South decreased 3.8%. 

Among the Federation Units, Mato Grosso is the leader as the main national grain producer, with an output of 28.7%, followed by Paraná (16.3%), Rio Grande do Sul (10.8%), Goiás (10.2%), Mato Grosso do Sul (7.8%) and Minas Gerais (6.1%), which, together, accounted for 79.9% of the national overall. As for the participation of the Brazilian Major Regions, the distribution is as follows: Central West (47.1%), South (29.7%), Southeast (10.2%), Northeas (8.7%) and North (4.3%).

Highlights in the July 2020 estimate against the June figure

In July, the highlights were changes in the following output estimates against June: 3^rd crop beans (9.7%), oats (6.9%), wheat (6.0%), 2^nd crop corn (3.2%), rice (1.8%), soybean (0.2%). There were decrease in output for 1st crop corn (0.0%), barley (1.1%), 1^st crop beans (2.9%) and 2^nd crop beans (4.0%).

In absolute figures, the highlights were changes in 2nd crop corn (2.2 million metric tons), wheat (416.7 thousand metric tons), soybean (231.3 thousand metric tons), rice (196.0 thousand metric tons), oats (70.5 thousand metric tons), 3rd crop beans (48.5 thousand metric tons), 2^nd crop beans (-42.9 thousand metric tons), 1^st crop beans (-40.0 thousand metric tons), 1^st crop corn (-11.2 thousand metric tons) and barley (4.6 thousand metric tons).

RICE (in husk) – The output of 11.0 million metric tons recorded an increase of 1.8% against June, due to the reevaluations in the average yield, with an increase of 1.3% and a total 6,586 kg/ha, an in planted area, which rose 0.5%, amounting to 1.6 million hectares. The South Region is responsible for 83.0% of the national output, and Rio Grande do Sul, the main rice producer in the country, accounting for 70.6% of the overall to be harvested in 2020. The state production had an increment of 1.1%, due to the increase of 1.2% in the productivity of this crop.

Against 2019, the output of rice increased 7.3%, with a hike of 8.8% in average yield, and planted area fell 2.2%. That increase, by 744.8 thousand metric tons, was mainly due to the South Region, which had an output of 9.1 million metric tons, an increase of 9.1% or 764.6 thousand metric tons, with Rio Grande do Sul expanding its production by 8.3% or 593.9 thousand metric tons, and Santa Catarina and Paraná with increases of 14.5% and 12.5%, respectively, reporting hike of 153.8 and 16.9 thousand metric tons.  

WINTER CROPS (grain) – The main winter cereals produced in Brazil are wheat, white oat and barley. The output estimate for wheat was 7.4 million metric tons, with an increase of 6.0% against the previous month. Against the previous year, the estimate is 41.0% lower. The South Region, in 2020, is expected to account for  91.0% of the national output.  

In Paraná, the main producer, which accounts for 50% of the national production, the output was estimated at 3.6 million metric tons, with hikes of 0.4% in comparison with June and of 72.8% in comparison with 2019. The average yield and the planted are recorded increases of 56.0% and 10.7%, in this comparison, respectively. Rio Grande do Sul, the second main producer, with a participation of  38.8% in the national total, is expected to produce 2.8 million metric tons, with an increase of 25.1% against 2019; and, Santa Catarina, of 162.1 thousand metric tons, a hike of 10.2%.  

The output estimate for oat was 1.0 million metric tons, with an increase of 6.9% against the previous month. The main producers of the cereal were Rio Grande do Sul, with 754.6 thousand metric tons, and Paraná, with 213.7 thousand metric tons. Against the previous year, the Brazilian production of oat is expected to increase by 20.1%.

The estimated output for barley is 418.4 thousand metric tons, with a decrease of 1.1% against the previous month. The main producers of the cereal are Paraná, with 288.8 thousand metric tons, and Rio Grande do Sul, with 115.6 thousand metric tons. Against the previous year, the Brazilian output of barley must increase 4.5%.

BEANS (grain) - The estimated overall output was 2.9 million metric tons, a decrease of 1.2% against the previous month. The estimate for planted area and the average yield decreased 0.1% and 0.9%, respectively. The main producers, considering the three crops of beans are Paraná (19.9%), Minas Gerais (18.3%), Goiás (11.1%) and Bahia, with 11.0% of participation in the national overall. Regarding the annual change, the estimated planted area and the havrvest estimate fell by 4.0%. 

Beans - 1st crop accounted for 45.7% of the overall output of this grain, estimated at 1.3 million metric tons, with a drop of 2.9% against the June estimate, which represents 40.0 thousand metric tons. The positive highlight was Minas Gerais, which had its output estimate increased by 2.8%, as a result of the increase of 1.2% in harvested area and of 1.5% in the estimated average yield. The negative highlights were Piauí, with a decrease of 17.4% and of Ceará, with a decrease of  13.2%. Against 2019, production and average yield recorded increases, of 3.8% and 3.0%, respectively; and planted area, a decrease of 1.9%.

The harvest of beans - 2nd crop was estimated at 1.0 million metric tons, with a decrease of 4.0% against June, after the decrease of 2.2% in the average yield. In Goiás, a decrease of 36.8% is expected, and in Santa Catarina, of 15.4%. Pernambuco, stands out, with a decrease of 8.5% in output. As for the annual change, the estimate points to a decrease of 11.6% against 2019. The expected average yield is 2.0% smaller and, the expected area to be harvested, 9.8% smaller. The 2nd crop represents 35.4% of the beans produced in the country.  

The output of beans - 3rd crop was estimated at 552.1 thousand metric tons, with an increase of 9.7% against June. Planted area also recorded increase of estimate by 9.4%. The highlights were Goiás, with an expected increae of 19.4% in output and of 21.3% in planted area; and Minas Gerais, with an estimated output 10.8% above the June figure. Against the previous year, the output estimate recordeda decrease of 6.2%, with a decrease of 6.5% in planed area.   

CORN (grain) – The output estimate rose 2.3%, resulting indo 99.8 million metric tons. Against the previous year, the output is 800.1 thousand metric tons smaller (-0.8%), with a decrease of 2.9% in the average yield, although there were increases of 1.6% in the area to be planted and of 2.2% in the area to be harvested. The first crop is expected to account for 26.8% of the Brazilian output, and the second, for 73.2%. 

The output of corn - 1st crop reached 26.7 million metric tons, leveled off against June, with a decrease by only 11.3 thousand metric tons. In the annual comparison, the output was 2.8% bigger, with increment of 2.1% in planted area and a decrease of 1.2% in average yield. The output of corn is expected to decrease by 27.7% na produção gaúcha, due to a long dry period, which caused Rio Grande do Sul to become the second major producer of corn, as Minas Gerais topped the list. The output in the latter amounted to 4.8 million metric tons, whereas that in Rio Grande do Sul amounted to 4.2 million metric tons. 

For corn - 2nd crop, the output estimate was 73.1 million metric tons, with an increase of 3.2% against the previous month, which is equivalent to 2.2 million metric tons. The most significant increases were reported by Mato Grosso (5.3%), Goiás (4.8%), Paraná (1.6%) and Tocantins (13.4%). Against the previous year, the output of corn - 2nd crop decreased 2.0%, with reduction of the average yield by 3.5%. However, the Brazilian production of corn - 2nd crop, hit a record in the IBGE time series, being, thus, a high basis for comparison. relevant decreases were recorded by Paraná (-14.0%), Goiás (-6.0%), Mato Grosso do Sul (-9.5%) and Minas Gerais (-8,6%), with an increase of  6.1% in Mato Grosso.

SOYBEAN (grain) – The output of soybean in 2020 is one more record figure in the IBGE time series, which amounted to 120.1 million metric tons, with an increase of 5.9% against the previous harvest. In the current update, there was an increase of 0.2% in the harvested volume, with an effect, mainly, on the data reported by Tocantins, of 5.9% in output, which must be 3.1 million metric tons. In this comparison, the average yield and the harvested area increased 4.2% e and 1.6%, respectively. 

The production of this legume, in 2020 could have beeb bigger, but it was affected by the output of Rio Grande do Sul, which fell 39.3% (7.3 million metric tons) against 2019. The state had a long drought between December 2019 and May 2020, damaging a big amount of the areas that produce soybeans. The scarcity of rain had a direct influence on the average yield of the grain, expected to be close to 1,883 kg/ha, a decrease of 40.7% against the state average of 2019, 3,178 kg/ha. The output of Rio Grande do Sul was estimated at 11.2 million metric tons, versus 18.5 million metric tons in 2019.