T
he area planted to rice in the
2016/17 growing season in all
Brazilian states should com-
prise 1.942 million hectares,
down only 3.3 percent from the
area in the2015/16growing season. Howev-
er, the variation is positive in the compari-
son of production and productivity. In the
graincrops survey, published inFebruaryby
the National Food Supply Agency (Conab),
projections pointed to 11.865 million tons,
up 11.9% from the previous year’s crop. In
productivity, the difference reaches 15.7%,
jumping from 5,280 kilograms per hectare
to 6,108 kilograms per hectare.
In all regions, the South is by far the larg-
est national grower, responsible for 81.6%
of the entire production. Conab sources are
projecting a planted area of 1.273 million
hectares and a crop of 9.684 million tons,
with a productivity of 7,606 kilograms per
hectare. The increase in area in these states
is estimated to rise 1.9% from the previous
year’s season. After excessive rainfall experi-
enced by the irrigated cultivations last year,
which adversely affected the results of the
harvest, the expectation is for the favorable
weather conditions to benefit greatly all rice
farming activities throughout the regions.
In Rio Grande do Sul, uncontested big-
gest Brazilian producer, the planted area
did not experience any expressive increase.
It has had a variation of 2.3% over the past
two seasons, but there are promising per-
spectives for production and productivity –
resulting from warm days and intense sun-
light.Afterthefloodsthathitmanyricefields
in 2016, production should reach 8.475 mil-
lion tons, about 15.2% more than in 2015.
Productivity is likely to jump from 6,837 to
7,700 kilograms per hectare (+12.6%).
“In the new growing season, due to the
drought conditions throughout the win-
ter, most rice farmers managed to antici-
pate the preparation of their land, provid-
ing for faster planting operations within
the recommended seeding period, and the
result translated into higher productivity
rates”, explains agronomic engineer Ricardo
Tatsch. He stresses that no bumper crop is
Tocantins now ranks as third biggest
rice producer. In the 2016/17 season,
the crop is supposed to go up by 19.5%,
amounting to 735.4 thousand tons. Ac-
cording to agronomic engineer Anderson
de Oliveira Pereira, from the Agriculture
and Livestock Development Secretari-
at (Seagro-TO), the bulk of rice harvested
in Tocantins comes from irrigated fields.
The tropical meadowlands account for
upwards of 90% of the rice produced in
the State and with a potential to expand
to upwards of one million hectares. “Fur-
thermore, the dryland rice fields could
also be expanded, considering that some
years ago, dryland rice areas amounted
to upwards of 150 thousand hectares, ac-
cording to Conab sources”, he comments.
n
n
n
Rice fields in tocantins
Basedontheresultsestimatedfor
theSouth,thebiggestnationalrice
producingregion,Brazilshouldexpand
by11.9%thesizeofthe2016/17crop
expected, but a normal crop, due to the big
number of fields infested with red rice and
other resistant weeds – stemming from the
difficulties in cultural treatments, because
of excessive precipitation inNovember.
In the second largest rice producing
State, weather conditions have so far been
favorable to the supply chain. Furthermore,
according to Conab’s technical surveys, rice
blast, the crop’s most serious disease, has
been little active throughout the growing
season in Santa Catarina. The combination
of positive factors account for the mainte-
nance of the presumed productivity rates.
The cultivated area and the projected crop
size also continue stable. In spite of this, the
farmers believe 2017 will be better for the
activity, in different aspects.
Vanir Zanatta, president of Agroindus-
trial Cooperative Cooperja, comments that
harvest is conducted by trained field pro-
fessionals, while a new year with favorable
prices is expected. The official is looking for-
ward to the clarification of issues that jeop-
ardize theactivity, attesting that rice is excel-
lent food, based on sustainable production
methods. “Over the past years, research in
the entire supply chain has had a say in this
assertion. Everything thanks to the sector’s
organization. Once again, this proves that
Unitedwe are Strong”, he says.
Stateof
grace
In the biggest rice producing State, there are promising projections for 2017
Inor Ag. Assmann
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