With the appreciation of corn and beans, and soybeans at the same prices as last year, the trend is for a reduction in the area planted with soybeans in the region.
Rural producers in the Campos Gerais Region are starting to plant summer crops. With the approval of the zoning, producers in the northernmost municipalities have already started planting the two main crops of this season: corn and beans. In the southern region of the Department of Rural Economy (Deral), such as Ponta Grossa and Palmeira, producers will begin planting this week. Soybeans, in turn, will only start in October. However, if it depends on prices, unlike last year, when there was a preference for soybeans, this year, there should be a reversal, with an increase in corn and bean cultivation.
“In this first week of September, the planting of corn and beans will intensify, because it is already within the zoning. But as there are two cold fronts coming, people are a little slower, preparing the soil for people to plant more safely”, declares Luiz Alberto Vantroba, economist at Deral's regional center. According to him, planting has already started further north of the region because these are areas less susceptible to frost. These are areas that do not receive the planting of winter crops, which are completed in November – and which total around 200 thousand hectares.
The economist draws attention to the price of products. While the price of soybeans remains at the same level (average of R$ 66.50 per bag in the last week of last year, against R$ 69 this year), corn and beans have seen great appreciation. Corn, for example, went from R$ 23 per bag (August 28, 2015) to R$ 38 per bag. Colored beans went from R$ 115 to around R$ 350; and the black from R$ 95 to R$ 180.
“All producers aim for the best profitability, so they carry out their analyses, they are always looking at production costs. Soybeans, as their margins are tighter, tend to increase corn and there will be a slight increase in beans, reducing soybean planting”, adds Vantroba. As the economist explained, the Department of Rural Economy is closing the estimate for the 2016/17 harvest this week. Thus, both the expected variations for crops and the planted area will be revealed within a week by the Secretariat of State and Supply.
