Copacol Field Day reaches its 33rd edition

Visits will continue this Friday (12th) at the 33rd edition of the Copacol Field Day, which is taking place at the Agricultural Research Center, in Cafelândia, Paraná. “It is a pleasure to welcome CPA members to share the studies carried out throughout the year and thus generate greater productivity and profitability. Grains are our raw material for the industrialization of protein and here we are able to cooperate with scientific analyzes that improve performance with each harvest”, says the CEO of Copacol, Valter Pitol.

In total, there are six tents that feature different studies that involve weed control, effects of soil compaction, insect management, stunt complex, disease management in soybean crops and seed quality. Research carried out on the 84 hectares of the CPA throughout the year and which demonstrates which variety has the greatest productive potential and the ideal management. 

Field Day

The event was also marked by the visit of the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Norberto Ortigara, who learned about the experiments carried out by the CPA, alongside the superintendent of Ocepar (Organization of Cooperatives of the State of Paraná), Robson Mafioletti. 

“It is an important moment to calibrate immediate and future agriculture, a partnership built by the Cooperative, due to the strength of the technical team’s strategic vision in providing solutions for agriculture. We see a search for sustainability, extracting as much as possible from the cultivated area, always in the correct way. This is how we evolve.”, stated Ortigara.

Harvest in full swing 

The harvest is in its initial phase in Western Paraná, with intensification of field operations. Last year, high production performance stood out in the region: Copacol received 12,9 million bags of soybeans and 17,4 million bags of corn. The search for knowledge is to repeat this historical level in other harvests. 

The current moment is one of major impacts caused by the climate. At the event, Norberto Ortigara highlighted the productivity scenario in the state. According to him, the rains in the months of October and November caused impacts on crops, while, from December 15th onwards, the drought caused other losses, in addition to high temperatures. “In western Paraná we estimate a loss of 20%. Brazil has already released its harvest assessment today, with a reduction of seven million tons in soybeans; In Paraná we still estimate a production of 21 million tons, with a considerable level of loss. In soybeans and corn, we will have a smaller harvest. With this transparency, we hope to have an adequate price”, he added.

Results presented

Soil compaction was among the approaches of one of the tents: with each harvest, a new challenge and new research demonstrates alternatives to avoid losses. The off-season corn consortium demonstrates positive effects to ensure better soil physical structure, preserving infiltrated water and also root development. 

“We reached this conclusion after research carried out in our experimental area, given that in recent harvests there was excessive moisture in the soil. Compaction caused by machines entering the field is common. By adding straw to the soil, in this succession of crops, we have protection and gains in productivity”, said agronomist and researcher, Vanei Tonini.