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The results of the first phase of the Procanola project, developed in partnership by Embrapa Agroenergia and rural producers from the Rio Preto Agricultural Cooperative (Coarp/DF), were presented on Wednesday (06/10), during a technical meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture , Livestock and Supply – Map. The project aims to tropicalize canola and adapt its cultivation system to the central region of Brazil.
The researcher and head of Research and Development at Embrapa Agroenergia Bruno Laviola, leader of the project, presented optimistic results on the productivity of canola planted in the DF.
“We achieved an average productivity of 2 thousand kg/ha, a value above the Brazilian average, which is 1,400 kg/ha”, he celebrated. An important detail mentioned by the researcher was the low rainfall from planting to harvest, just 70 mm in total, around 20% of what the literature says is necessary for good crop development.
“All books on canola state that the crop requires between 300 and 350 mm to develop well,” said Bruno, who attributed the excellent productivity achieved to the plant’s ability to accumulate nighttime dew and restore water. Of the three varieties planted (Diamond, Nuola 300 and Hyola 433), the data obtained showed that the Nuola 300 seed was the one that best adapted to the Federal District, achieving excellent soil coverage, especially in irrigated cultivation.
Laviola attributed the success achieved mainly to the sowing stage, considered by the researcher as one of the most important. “The Agricultural Climate Risk Zoning (Zarc) for canola will soon be published, which will help producers plant at the ideal time and increase the chances of success at harvest time,” he said.
Furthermore, Embrapa Agroenergia is preparing the launch of the MaisCanola application for next year, which will allow producers to virtually monitor all stages of cultivation, from planting to harvest. “The application will provide essential technical information and will help the producer to prepare the area, sow and monitor the plant. Data on cultivation and harvesting can also be entered, which will allow Embrapa to adapt the cultivation system to the real conditions and needs of producers”, explains Laviola.
Producers' report
Producers Ítalo Meotti and Flávio Benetti, associated with Coarp, shared their experiences with canola cultivation with the audience. Experimental plantings were carried out on around 106 ha of five producers in the Rio Preto region, located in Planaltina – DF. In addition to selecting three types of commercial varieties for planting, Embrapa Agroenergia validated the production system with producers.
Both Meotti and Benetti considered the crop to be easy to manage, but highlighted the need to make adaptations at the time of harvest, to avoid loss of profitability. Meotti says he was surprised by the results achieved. “In DF, the plant developed very well in a year of very high water deficiency”, he stated.
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The president of the Rio Preto Agricultural Cooperative (Coarp), Valter Baron, stated that canola is being brought to the central region of the country in the correct way, with organization, technical monitoring and support for farmers. “We are already producing more than the South of Brazil, thanks to the dedication of the Embrapa team, national pride. Canola will be of great importance as an alternative for off-season cultivation in the Central-West”, he believes.
The event was attended by Mapa's Director of Production Chains, Alexandre Barcellos; the DF Secretary of Agriculture, Cândido Teles de Araújo; the Federal Superintendent of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply of the DF (substitute), Carlos Alberto Ferreira; the director of Rural Development of the DF, Andrea Perez and the Advisor to the Secretariat of Agricultural Defense of Mapa, Willian Barbosa.
The research activities of the Procanola project count on financial support of around R$680 thousand from the Secretariat of Innovation, Development and Irrigation of the Ministry of Agriculture (SDI/Mapa), via Decentralized Execution Term (TED). For Alexandre Barcellos, Mapa allocated resources in the right hands. “Fortunately, we allocated the resource in the hands of those who had the opportunity to do so. I can already see the impact that canola production can bring to the production sector, an added value that guarantees great potential for expansion within the Cerrado,” he said.
Cândido Araújo, Secretary of Agriculture of the DF, also expressed optimism with the planting of canola in the Center-West. “Canola will take over the Cerrado like soy did. The results are highly promising”, he assessed.
Canola market and future prospects
The President of the Brazilian Association of Canola Producers (Abrascanola), Vantuir Scarantti, gave a presentation on the opportunities in the market for canola grains, oil and cake in Brazil. He stated that Brazil is capable of doubling or even tripling canola production, as it has an area for cultivation and installed processing capacity.
Scarantti highlighted the strong liquidity of the product in the domestic and foreign markets. “We have a great call to increase production, especially of bran. This year Canada had a long period of drought, which resulted in a shortage of the product on the world market. We receive demand all the time and that is why we hope that, with the strength of cooperatives, we can have at least 500 thousand hectares of canola planted in Brazil by 2030”, he said.
Still on the global canola panorama, Scarantti reported that currently the highest productivity is obtained by the European Union (3,240 kg/ha), Ukraine (2,700 kg/ha) and Canada (2,270 kg/ha). Brazil appears in fourth place, with an average productivity of 1,600 kg/ha.
“Today, Canada is the largest exporter and Japan is the largest importer of canola in the world. Brazil only produces half of the world's consumption demand, being 58% of bran and 36% of oil”, said Scarantti, an indication that there is great growth potential for canola cultivation in the country.
About canola
Canola (Brassica napus L. and Brassica rapa L.) is an oilseed species, from the cruciferous family (same as cabbage and cabbage), and is the third most produced oilseed plant in the world, behind oil palm and soybeans. Canola grains produced in Brazil contain 38 to 40% of oil, that is, double what soybeans produce. It is one of the oils with the highest percentage of Omega 3, around 11%, and can be used for human consumption, biodiesel production or animal feed. Currently, the market value of canola oil is equivalent to that of soybeans.
Clipping: agrolink | Source: EMBRAPA
