Rice planted area in Rio Grande do Sul decreases by 8% in the 2025/26 crop season.

The Rio Grande do Sul Rice Institute (Irga) released this Thursday (February 12th), in Porto Alegre, the initial estimate for the 2025/2026 rice harvest in Rio Grande do Sul. The projection indicates an 8,06% decrease in the planted area compared to the previous cycle.

In the 2024/2025 crop season, the state cultivated 970.194 hectares. For the new season, planting was consolidated at 891.908,5 hectares, below the initial estimate of 920 hectares.

According to the president of Irga, Alexandre Velho, the reduction reflects the challenging scenario faced by producers in 2025, marked by difficulties in accessing credit and high production costs.

The six rice-growing regions of Rio Grande do Sul, distributed across 135 municipalities, registered a decrease in planted area, with variations between 4% and 11%, resulting in an average statewide decline of 8,06%.

The reduction in area is expected to impact the harvested volume, although the final result still depends on weather conditions throughout the cycle, especially during the flowering period, a phase in which sunlight is crucial for yield potential. The expected productivity is between 8.500 and 9.000 kilograms per hectare.

Velho also stressed the need to find a better balance between supply and demand. "We need to increase domestic consumption and strengthen grain exports," he said.

Irga Genetics

According to agricultural engineer Luiz Fernando Siqueira, from the Institute's Technical Directorate, crop monitoring is carried out weekly from sowing until the end of the harvest.

Currently, the cultivars developed by Irga are present in 58,05% of the planted area, a percentage that represents about 70% of the state's production.

“The genetics developed by the Institute and the public sector's involvement demonstrate the strength of Rio Grande do Sul in rice farming. Technical monitoring and periodic surveys will be fundamental to updating the data throughout the cycle,” he highlighted.

Irga emphasized that it will continue to monitor the crop's progress and weather conditions in the coming months — crucial factors for the final performance of Rio Grande do Sul's rice production, which accounts for the majority of the country's rice harvest.