Sorghum is growing as an alternative for safe grain production

In Brazil, sorghum cultivation has gained ground in recent harvests. The country is the eighth largest global producer. According to harvest estimate data from Conab, in the 2021/2022 harvest, the cultivation area will increase by 22,6%, reaching 1,1 million hectares, and production will increase by 40,3 %, reaching 2,9 million tons.

The growth of the crop can be associated with climate change in recent years, with a reduction in rainfall in the season dedicated to second-crop crops. In this scenario, sorghum cultivation, due to its natural adaptation to adverse environmental conditions, plays an increasingly important role in food security. “Sorghum’s tolerance to water stress has been the main reason for the increase in the area planted with this cereal, which occurs predominantly in the second harvest in Brazil”, says Embrapa researcher, Cícero Menezes.

Sorghum has been a good option for grain production in situations where the lack of water poses greater risks to other crops, such as corn. “The sorghum plant, during water stress, stops its growth and grows again when the rain returns, withstanding summers of up to 20 days, with little compromising production”, explains Cícero.

In marketing terms, the cultivation of grain sorghum in succession to summer crops, mainly soybeans, has contributed to the sustainable supply of low-cost grains for the feed agroindustry. “Currently, throughout the sorghum grain producing region of Central Brazil, the product shows good liquidity for the farmer and competitive prices for the industry, which is increasingly looking for alternatives to compose its rations with quality and lower cost”, he states. the researcher.

To discuss the scenario and perspectives of the crop, the panel “Market and potential for the use of grain sorghum” will be held during the XXXIII National Corn and Sorghum Congress.

The panel will have three lectures

- “Sorghum - Expanding market”, with Felipe Fabbri, Coordinator of the Alternative Proteins Market and Production Cost Division at Scot Consultoria;

- “Grain sorghum industry and consumption: challenges and opportunities”, with Dércio Oppelt, Executive Operations and Logistics Manager at BRFoods; It is

- “Strategies and territorial intelligence for the development of the sorghum market”, with Urubatan Klink, from South America Commercial Lead - Innovative Seed Solutions LLC.

The XXXIII National Corn and Sorghum Congress (CNMS) will be held from September 12th to 15th, with online technical-scientific programming. The panel “Market and potential for the use of grain sorghum” takes place on the 14th (Wednesday), from 10:20 am to 12:20 pm, moderated by Leonardo Duarte Pimentel, professor at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV).