Brazil: rice production is expected to fall to the lowest level in 25 years
The National Supply Company (Conab) estimated that by the end of the 2023 harvest, rice production in Brazil would be below 10 million tonnes.
This is the lowest level in 25 years.
The production of beans should remain at levels similar to those of the last three decades, with almost 3 million tonnes.
According to experts, the lack of incentives to plant rice and beans can bring risks to food security and increase the price of these products.
From 2019 to 2022, beans rose 20% per year, and rice had an annual increase of 15%.
SOYBEANS AND CORN
Production of grains is expected to reach a historic high at 310 million tonnes.
Soybeans and corn drive this number, raw materials for an industry traded on international stock exchanges and exported as animal feed, such as cattle and hogs.
Rice and beans, on the other hand, produced mostly by family farming, are aimed at supplying the Brazilian market.
Their prices vary according to the size of production, demand, and negotiations between farmers and industry.
FALL IN PRODUCTION
The fall in the production of rice and beans follows the reduction in the area planted with these crops, estimated at 30% in the last 16 years.
In the same period, soybean almost doubled (+86%), while corn advanced by 66%.
This dispute for space between crops is pointed out as the main reason behind the loss of prominence of rice and beans.
Another cause is the decrease in the consumption of these grains.
Despite the fall in planted areas, the increase in productivity means supermarkets have no shortage of rice or beans.
With information from Revista Oeste
More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Read More from The Rio Times