Paraná corn production 2nd Harvest should suffer a reduction of 12,4%

The Department of Rural Economy of Paraná (Deral) published today the new Conjunctural Bulletin with updated estimates on corn, wheat, soybean and vegetable crops. According to researchers and technicians, the harvest of the second 2023/24 corn crop advanced across the State, reaching 42% of the total area, estimated at 2,42 million hectares. Despite this, production was revised downwards, and the expectation is that just over 12,95 million tons will be harvested, which represents a reduction of 1,83 million tons, or 12,4%, when compared to the estimated initially.

The West and Central West regions are more advanced and have already harvested more than 66% of the planted area. The North region, which has the largest area planted with second-crop corn, with 918 thousand hectares, is still at the beginning of the harvest and has not reached 10% of the total area. 

Wheat

The Paraná wheat area for this harvest was reevaluated during the month, from 1,12 to 1,15 million hectares. Planting reached 94% of the projected area and, if the average productivity of 3.300 kg/ha is confirmed, Paraná could reach a production of 3,8 million tons. However, the drought that persists in the north of the State is already showing some difficulty in achieving this potential. 

At least 70 thousand hectares have poor crop conditions, and are expected to have below-average productivity due to the complete absence of rain in June. Bag prices have remained at a better level than in the previous month, despite the decline in international prices. 

Soybean 

Exports from Paraná from the soybean complex reached 7 million tons in the first five months of 2024. This represents an increase of 22% when compared to the same period in 2023. The financial amount transacted reached 3,2 billion dollars, slightly lower than the same period of the previous year. 

The increase in exported volume in this period is largely related to the early soybean harvest that took place in the State. The drop in revenue is a reflection of lower oilseed prices. On the national scene, in the same period, the volume exported was 60,1 million tons, an increase of 2% compared to 2023 and the financial amount was 26,4 billion dollars. Drop of 19%.

Vegetable crops 

With a winter under the influence of the La Niña phenomenon, temperatures above the average for the season, scarce rainfall and intense and rapid waves of cold air, impacts on the production of garden products are already expected if accompanied by the occurrence of frosts. 

To minimize the impacts of intense cold - both in the open air and in a controlled environment (greenhouses), rural producers can, through the use of irrigation, physical coverings, bamboo, plant cover and heating, protect their production. In the Regional Center of Curitiba, actions like these are fundamental, as the area cultivated with vegetables in 2022 was 47,8 thousand hectares, being the main producer in the State with 1,1 million tons, representing 38,1% of the volume harvested (paraná olericulture: 117,0 thousand ha, 3,0 million t). 

There are 46 species exploited with a significant participation in many of them, maintaining the appropriate proportions of areas and volumes of each activity, some selected examples are: 79% of broccoli cabbage; 78% of watercress; 74% of cauliflower; 72% of cabbage; 71% of parsley potatoes; 66% of pod beans; 65% of cabbage; 63% of chives (green chives); 53% of green zucchini; 48% of lettuce; 47% of onion; 46% of eggplant.