The updated figures for the 2018/2019 grain harvest, released this Thursday (8) by the National Supply Company (Conab), confirm the record production for this year. The country is expected to harvest 241.3 million tons, which represents an increase of 6% or 13.7 million t compared to the previous harvest. The planted area is expected to be 63 million hectares, with an increase of 2% over the same period.
First-crop corn production is expected to reach 26.2 million tons, a reduction of 2.1% compared to the previous harvest. The harvest has ended in the Center-South region and continues in the North and Northeast regions. Second-crop corn production will reach a record 73.1 million tons, 35.6% more than in the 2017/18 harvest. The harvest has been intensified and now covers 84% of the planted area. Soybean production fell by 3.5% and reached 115.1 million tons. The Center-West and South regions account for more than 78% of this production.
The first-crop bean crop, which has already been harvested, saw a 22.5% reduction in production and is expected to reach 996.4 thousand tons. This was mainly caused by the decrease in area and productivity in Paraná, Minas Gerais and Bahia. The second-crop bean crop, which is in its final stages of harvesting, had favorable weather conditions that contributed to a production of 1.3 million tons, 7.2% above that obtained in the previous period. The third-crop bean crop also saw an increase of 20.5% and is expected to produce 739.6 thousand tons. Planting was completed in July.
The country is also expected to harvest 4 million tons of seed cotton and 2.7 million tons of lint, 34.2% more than in the previous harvest. While wheat production is estimated at 5.4 million tons, rice production is expected to be 10.4 million tons, a decrease of 13.6%. The study points to the reductions in the area of the cereal that occurred in the main producing states as the cause.
Area – The crops that had an increase in area, compared to the previous harvest, were second-crop corn, with a total area of 12.4 million hectares, soybeans with 35.9 million hectares and cotton with 1.6 million hectares. Regarding winter crops, for wheat, an area of 1.99 million hectares is estimated, 2.6% less than in 2018. The other crops (oats, canola, rye, barley and triticale) show increases in the planting area, going from 546.5 thousand hectares, in the previous harvest, to 552.2 thousand hectares in the current harvest. According to the survey, the frosts that occurred in early July, especially in Paraná, require greater monitoring of the crops.
