IBGE raises forecast for 2023 harvest to 302.1 million tons

The estimate is from the Systematic Survey of Agricultural Production (LSPA) carried out in April and released this Thursday (11) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

The April survey increased by 0.8% (or another 2.4 million tons) the estimate made by the March survey (299.7 million tons). The area to be harvested throughout the year is expected to be 76.4 million hectares, 4.3% more than in 2022 and 0.4% higher than the March forecast.

Among the main grain crops in the country, increases are expected, in relation to 2022, for soy (24.7%), corn (8.8%), herbaceous seed cotton (2.8%), beans (1.5%) and sorghum (23%). On the other hand, declines of 7.5% are expected for rice, 1.7% for wheat and 6.5% for oats.

According to the survey manager, Carlos Barradas, in general, this year’s crop is benefiting from the rainier climate in almost the entire country, with the exception of Rio Grande do Sul, where there was a lack of rain during the summer crop. “Last year, the lack of rainfall in the state was even greater and also affected other states”, adds the IBGE.

Mato Grosso is the state with the highest grain production in the country, accounting for 30.7% of the harvest, followed by Paraná (15.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (10.1%), Goiás (9.6% ), Mato Grosso do Sul (8.1%) and Minas Gerais (6%).

LSPA also collects data on other important products in the Brazilian agricultural basket, such as sugar cane, bananas, oranges and coffee. Increases are expected, compared to 2022, for grapes (10.5%), sugarcane (6.5%), coffee (5.5%), tomatoes (2.8%), cassava (2.1%), orange (0.5%) and banana (0.3%). On the other hand, the year should end with a fall in production, the potato (-2.8%).