Crop production and area in Brazil continue to grow at record rates

According to the latest forecast from the National Supply Company (Conab), Brazil’s total production in the MY 2025/26 remains at a record level, despite slight fluctuations in individual crops.

The country’s 16 main crops are estimated to reach 353.1 million tonnes on a projected area of ​​83.9 million hectares, up 987,000 tonnes and 2.1 million hectares from the 2024/25 season, according to Conab’s fourth agricultural progress report, published on January 15.

The MY 2025/26 soybean harvest, the country’s main crop and main export, is forecast to reach 176.1 million tonnes, up 4.6 million tonnes, or 2.7%, from the previous harvest. Sown area also increased by 2.8%, from 47.4 million hectares to 48.7 million hectares.

“Despite the increase in production and planted area, grain yields remained stable, with a small negative fluctuation of 0.1%,” the company said. “This decrease is due to uneven rainfall, which was lower than expected in the regions of Mato Grosso do Sul, as well as the physical limitations of sandy soils in some areas of Goiás, despite the projected increase in yields in Rio Grande do Sul this season.”

Brazil’s corn production in the MY 2025/26 is forecast to decline by 1.5% to 138.9 million tonnes, compared to 141 million tonnes in the previous year. While the probable area sown is expected to increase by 4% to 22.8 million hectares, Conab said that production was affected by climatic events such as storms, hail, low and high temperatures, and dry spells in the southern region of the country.

The area sown and production of sorghum, another rapidly growing crop, will increase. The MY 2025/26 harvest is forecast to be 6.7 million tonnes on 1.8 million hectares, up from 6.1 million tonnes last year (1.6 million hectares).

With the area sown reduced by 9.9% to 1.6 million hectares in the current cycle, rice production is forecast to be 11.1 million tonnes, down 6.6% from MY 2024/25.

The 2025 wheat harvest, the main winter crop, has been completed, with production reaching 7.9 million tonnes, matching the 2024 figure. Despite a 20 percent reduction in sown areas compared to the previous harvest, the result was positive, as favorable weather contributed to increased yields, Conab reported.

Tags: Brazil