MT Foundation's Corn Meeting Highlights Technological Advancement

The second corn harvest has already begun for farmers in Mato Grosso, who have so far sold about 25% of the production that will still be cultivated starting in January of next year. Even while keeping an eye on the soybeans currently in the fields, producers are attentive to market movements for corn, which has gained space and relevance in balancing farm accounts and in its social role of generating employment and income for agribusinesses.

During the 6th Technical Meeting on Corn, organized by the Mato Grosso Foundation and held in Cuiabá, researchers, producers, and technical and economic specialists presented the scenario of "Corn in the Bio Era": with the use of bio-inputs, biotechnologies, and the generation of bioenergy.

André Debastiani, producer and managing partner of Agroconsult, highlighted the decisive role of corn harvests in producer income, especially in the Midwest. The productive potential and the last harvest, with averages above 150 sacks per hectare, reinforced the importance of the crop, driven by the growth in domestic demand and its use in corn ethanol production.

“It’s impossible to imagine the world without corn anymore. Corn has become a very important part of the producer’s income and the entire production system. We see growth in domestic consumption, bringing many opportunities to continue investing in this crop and helping producers get through a period of very tight margins. Having the possibility of having another source of income is very important, and it’s great that corn brings this opportunity to producers in the Midwest,” said Debastiani.

Farmer Marcelo Vankevicius, a panel participant, reported a record productivity he achieved in the 24/25 harvest with approximately 150 sacks per hectare, representing an increase of 30 sacks per hectare. According to him, a technological package similar to that used in the previous harvest was applied, but this time, the favorable weather was decisive. The farmer also believes that the 25/26 harvest will be even more intensified.

“Producers, in general, are concerned about leases and fixed costs. As the alternative crops of sesame, beans, sunflower, and canola are still limited, corn should remain the main option,” he assured. “The good performance and attractive prices this year should encourage producers to invest in the crop again,” the farmer stated.

The use of biological products is growing and reinforcing integrated pest management.

In his presentation, the Phytosanitary Coordinator of SLC Agrícola, Rodrigo Soares Ramos, highlighted that the use of biologicals is already widespread in the company's commercial areas and is growing with each harvest, acting in the management of pests, diseases and nematodes, from planting to the final stages of the crop.

According to Rodrigo Ramos, the use of biological products at SLC has advanced in recent years. In the most recent harvest, 17,7% of the planned pesticides were biological, and the projection for 25/26 is up to 25% for corn. The company also invests in constant research on compatibility, strain efficiency, and product quality. Monitoring allows each application to be related to the response in the field, analyzing control, intervention, and pest behavior.

"This relates more to pests, linked to monitoring in the vegetative and reproductive phases. It's more complex with biologicals used in the furrow. We try to bring in information and laboratory analyses, identifying nematodes, collecting soil and plant samples to build data on the challenges in each plot of the farm," pointed out Rodrigo Ramos, phytosanitary coordinator at SLC Agrícola.

Focus on production to meet the growing corn ethanol market.

Investments to improve results in the field are linked to market needs. The announcement this year of the installation of new corn ethanol plants in the country has excited rural producers. In the last four years, the demand for corn for ethanol has more than doubled: from 10 million to over 22 million tons, and is expected to reach 35 million tons in the next three to four years.

According to the CEO of BioInd MT, Giuseppe Lobo, Mato Grosso currently has 18 plants in operation and a very robust growth outlook.

“It’s important to visualize how much ethanol has contributed to boosting corn production in Mato Grosso. From 2017 to now, we’ve gone from a corn production volume of 17 million tons to 54 million tons. Corn ethanol has encouraged producers to cultivate more, and we’ve seen this in the data, harvest after harvest,” the director pointed out.

In addition to the economic boost, corn cultivation has socio-environmental impacts, as highlighted by Flávio Garcia, Corporate and Commercial Head of the MT Foundation.

“We are creating conditions to expand the production of a green fuel and, in addition, increasing the production of protein used in animal nutrition, DDG, without the need to expand corn cultivation to new areas. Socially, the evolution of job opportunities and income improvement is noticeable in places where the ethanol industry is established or where the meat industry is growing,” he pointed out.

According to Luis Carlos de Oliveira, research, services and operations manager at Fundação MT, the 6th Corn Technical Meeting was different from previous editions, with particular emphasis on the relevance of the research conducted.

"We chose three themes that we understand ultimately involve the entire chain: bio-inputs, biotechnology, and bioenergy, bringing a broader view of the chain. Not only the technical aspects of what the producer should do, but looking at the horizon with a slightly larger dimension, with the vision of the industry. This integration is fundamental to what the market needs," explained Luis Carlos.