Rice producers begin sowing the 2020/2021 harvest

In São Gabriel, in the region of the Gaucho campaign, rice is already sowing. Rice farming technician Rogério Cantarelli, from the 1st Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Center (Nate) of the Rio Grandense do Arroz Institute, informs that work is in progress on a property in the town of Inhatinhum.

“Producer Giovane Sari began sowing rice in a total area of ​​100 hectares this week. He is using the IRGA 424 RI cultivar and should complete the work this Sunday (23)”, says Cantarelli.

Other cities in RS have also registered sown areas, such as Santo Antônio da Patrulha and Alegrete. “These are earlier sowings. In the case of Santo Antônio da Patrulha, where sowing is in the pre-germinated system, we will monitor the development of the crop and the effect of these low temperatures. In crops sown in the dry in direct planting or minimum cultivation systems, the seed is stored in the soil, but it does not have the temperature to start the germination process yet. It will only emerge in 20 or 30 days, depending on weather conditions”, comments Irga’s technical director, Ivo Mello.

The Nates teams are still carrying out the survey and in the next few days Irga should announce the sowing intention for the 2020/2021 harvest.

Mello, however, anticipates a problem that could affect the next harvest: water availability in reservoirs. “Today, the situation is critical. On the western border, for example, the information we have so far indicates 70% availability in dams and dams. And in the south zone, campaign and internal coastal plain, the average is just 40% availability. If it does not rain a little above normal in the next 60 days, we are estimating a deficiency in the State of, more or less, 15%, considering all sources of water for irrigation (rivers, lakes and reservoirs). But our teams at municipal offices are still collecting this data in more detail to offer more accurate information”, adds the technical director of Irga.