Brazilian rice production forecast to decline by 7% in 2023

The 2023 rice harvest in Brazil is projected to be 10 million tons, marking a 7% decrease compared to 2022, according to the National Food Company (Conab).

This anticipated yield will be the lowest in 25 years, with the only exception being the 1998 harvest which totaled 8.5 million tons.

Interestingly, this decline is not due to a drop in productivity; productivity numbers are showing improvement from the previous year.

The primary factor for the decrease lies in the reduced cultivation area, affecting overall output.

There has been a 7.5% reduction in the area dedicated to rice farming, translating to a loss of nearly 140,000 hectares.

In the current farming cycle, 1.5 million hectares are allotted to rice cultivation, with the country’s Southern region accounting for approximately 90% of the national harvest.

Rio Grande do Sul is the leading producer of all the states, contributing to almost 70% of the national yield.

The list includes Santa Catarina with 1.2 million tons, and Tocantins rounding off the top three with 530,000 tons.

Brazil’s rice production meets its domestic demand. However, the nation exports 1.5 million tons while importing a similar amount from global markets. Notably, around 85% of domestic consumption is sustained by Brazil’s own agricultural production.

To put it in perspective with Brazil’s current population, the rice yield equates to about 50 kilograms per person. As of recent data, Brazil is home to 203 million people, as stated by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.

Rice remains a staple in the daily diet of Brazilians and, as highlighted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is among the most consumed foods globally.