Santa Catarina faces grain storage deficit

The growth of agricultural production in Santa Catarina has exceeded the state's grain storage capacity. Between 2020 and 2025, total production increased by 19%, reaching 7,38 million tons, while storage capacity increased by only 5,1%. The mismatch resulted in a deficit of over 800 thousand tons in 2025, especially critical for corn, essential for the animal protein industry.

According to Epagri/Cepa, the corn storage deficit exceeds 5,5 million tons, worsening dependence on imports from other regions of Brazil and abroad. Cooperatives, such as Cooperalfa, resort to emergency solutions, such as the use of bag silos, but the high costs and storage limitations are a concern. The lack of infrastructure forces producers to sell in advance, often at prices below the ideal.

The June agricultural bulletin also highlights the impact of the record harvest on rice prices, which continue to fall, and the forecast of a decline in wheat production, affected by the cold weather and slow planting. Corn, on the other hand, had high productivity, but is facing devaluation in the market. Soybean prices showed a slight recovery in June, after falling in May.

In terms of fruit, excess supply has driven down the prices of bananas and apples, while garlic and onions have seen strong increases. Production of both is expected to increase in the next harvest. In the meat sector, the price of beef cattle has fallen, but remains 27,5% higher than in 2024.

Given this scenario, leaders in Santa Catarina's agricultural sector are reinforcing the urgency of investing in storage to keep up with the growth of production and ensure the state's competitiveness.