Rice industry seeks solutions to economic crisis.

Rice farmers attending the 36th Official Opening of the Rice and Grain Harvest in Lowlands will have the opportunity to attend an open meeting of the Rice Sector Chamber, which will take place on the third day of the program. The event will be held between February 24 and 26, 2026, at the Embrapa Clima Temperado headquarters in Capão do Leão (RS), and will bring together representatives from the production sector, industry, research, and the federal government.

The meeting's agenda includes discussions affecting the rice production chain at this time, highlighting the sector's crisis, measures under discussion, public policies, and solutions for the current scenario of rice production in the country. According to the president of the Rice Sector Chamber, Henrique Dornelles, the meeting will focus on the economic situation faced by producers, especially regarding the minimum price of rice and the production costs calculated by the National Supply Company (Conab).

According to the director, the sector has been questioning the methodology used in these surveys for at least two years. “The production costs published by Conab have presented methodological flaws, both in the collection and interpretation of information from producers. This ends up generating inaccurate numbers, leading the government to a mistaken interpretation of the real financial situation of rice producers,” he emphasizes.

Another topic considered strategic, and which should be introduced in the Sectoral Chamber, is the development of a long-term study for the Brazilian rice sector, with a horizon of up to 30 years. The proposal involves a broad analysis, which may be further explored in specific meetings, either parallel to or subsequent to the official meeting.

This work aims to address issues ranging from agronomic questions, such as the definition of cultivars and Brazil's positioning among different types of rice, such as the traditional long-grain rice or special varieties like basmati, to global trends in rice consumption and use. Among the topics analyzed are new applications of the cereal as a functional food, an ingredient in cosmetics, a source of protein, starch, and even energy potential.

According to Dornelles, Embrapa plays a fundamental role in this process, due to its scope and connection with international research centers, and can bring to the Brazilian sector a strategic vision aligned with global trends. The focus, however, will remain on Rio Grande do Sul, the main national rice producer and a region where rice farming has a strong economic and social impact, especially in the southern half of the state. "It is in the interest of the government and the country to keep this region strong in what it is best suited for, without harming the rest of Brazil," he states.

The study will be built in an integrated way across the entire production chain, involving producers, industry, retail, researchers, and representatives from all Brazilian states. According to the president of the Rice Sector Chamber, the initiative could be decisive in bringing predictability and reducing the recurring crises faced by the sector. "I have high hopes that this work will help guide the future of Brazilian rice farming and reduce the 'fires' that usually occur in the sector," he concludes.

The 36th Official Opening of the Rice and Grain Harvest in Lowlands has as its theme "Current scenario and perspectives: connecting field and market".