Santa Catarina is a leader in pre-germinated rice cultivation

Planting and cultivation techniques are essential for rice to reach consumers across the country in the best possible way. In Santa Catarina, the method adopted, which also distinguishes the cereal grown in the State from that of other locations, is pre-germinated. With it, the planted rice grows with large amounts of nutrients and vitamins essential for human health.

Rice cultivation in Santa Catarina began more than 100 years ago, together with European immigrants. Decades later, with the promulgation of Law No. 86.146 in 1981, the National Program for the Use of Irrigated Floodplains was created, known as Provárzeas Nacional. The initiative aimed to make better use of the humid areas on the banks of rivers and, in the State, the crop that adapted most was rice.

In this scenario, as there were previous studies on the pre-germinated irrigated system, with Provárzeas, the soils were leveled to receive the cultivation modality. Currently, according to data from the Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company of Santa Catarina (Epagri), 85% of the soil in Santa Catarina uses the irrigated rice system on the 147 thousand hectares of land made available.

The basis for planting

The irrigated rice system gains strength and prominence among farmers due to its ability to adapt to humid soils, an aspect that prevails in the subtropical climate of southern Brazil. Furthermore, the system has high productivity, which is one of the main advantages of sowing. When grown in a layer of water, the seeds are prepared to germinate, ensuring a successful harvest.

And for germination to occur, the grain is soaked – being submerged in water – for 24 to 30 hours, depending on the ambient temperature. After removing it from this process, it rests for 24 to 48 hours until it sprouts. “When we sow in the rice field, on the ground, the seed is already germinating and, therefore, can develop in water, while weed seeds cannot. This allows better management of rice fields, increasing productivity, as it reduces competition with rice, which can fully develop”, explains the agronomist and state coordinator of the Grãos da Epagri program, Douglas George de Oliveira.

In the view of the president of SindArroz-SC, Walmir Rampinelli, rice from Santa Catarina is accepted in all parts of the world, mainly due to its quality and treatment. “In addition to being a foundation for the economy, we have Epagri that helps us in the development of new cultivars that have very strong production potential. All these factors combined, give Santa Catarina the title of highest productivity”, he emphasizes.

Rice from Santa Catarina stands out on the national scene, due to its quality and the use of a special processing technique: parboiling. The development of special varieties and also of industrial grain preparation technologies means that the product from Santa Catarina is recognized as the best parboiled rice, bringing recognition and opening markets.

Initial soil preparation

Following the context of Provárzeas Nacional, producers begin to prepare the land with the help of Epagri, to leave the soil at zero level. “This systematization phase happens only once, and once it is ready, it is prepared every year to sow rice. Then, in the pre-twinbed, the crop is filled with water to sow, and with equipment, the soil is disturbed, forming a viscous mud. Subsequently, smoothing is done to leave the land well leveled, so that the water remains on top, maintaining the essence of the system used”, adds Oliveira.

In relation to the practices applied by farmers, the main one is broadcast sowing, in which the seeder throws the germinated grain in a non-linear way to facilitate growth. For Rampinelli, the difference in planting in Santa Catarina is the way in which the land is prepared, since farmers handle small plantations with care, being able to look at each small detail with great care and, as a result, making the fields very uniform. and performance in every square meter.

Process of processing in industries

Once this process of handling and caring for the grain is complete, after being cultivated and harvested, it is sent for processing in industries. The load with the raw material, after collecting the sample, is sent to scales and weight recording. In the tumbler or hopper, the rice is automatically unloaded, going through the sieving process to remove impurities.

As the harvested grain arrives at the industry in a wet form, it passes through continuous dryers to remove excessive moisture and, consequently, not compromise its quality. For a minimum ripening period of 20 to 30 days, the raw material undergoes the aeration process automatically, using aerators.

Both the cultivation and processing phases are of great importance for the rice production chain. “After the zeal of farmers, the industries prepare the cereal so that it arrives with the best possible quality on supermarket shelves. The commitment on these two fronts is what makes Santa Catarina’s production stand out internationally”, emphasizes the president of SindArroz-SC.