With the start of winter, planting barley becomes a profitable alternative for farmers in Campos Gerais

The period of low temperatures in the south of the country marks the planting phase of barley, a typically winter crop used as an alternative in crops at this time of year. This, however, is the first phase towards the long harvest path, which should take place in mid-October. Brazilian grain production is concentrated in the South Region, with Paraná being the largest national producer of barley, with around 60% of national production, according to data from the Department of Rural Economy (Deral), the State Secretariat for Agriculture and of Supply. It is no coincidence that producers and industries in Paraná are investing more and more in the sector.

Proof of this is the announcement of the construction of a new malthouse that will come into operation in 2023 in the city of Ponta Grossa, in the Campos Gerais Region. The project – a partnership between the cooperatives Agrária (Guarapuava), Bom Jesus (Lapa), Coopagrícola (Ponta Grossa) and Unium, the institutional brand of the industries of the cooperatives Frísia, Castrolanda and Capal – has an expected investment of R$ 1,5 billion and should generate more than a thousand jobs.

According to the superintendent of Friesland, Mario Dykstra, over the years, the cooperative has been looking for alternatives so that members can have sources of income diversification, with crops that are profitable during this period of low temperatures, including barley. “Although the importance of barley has increased in recent years, the planted area is still small, given the cultivation potential of approximately 100 thousand hectares in the Frísia Cooperative’s area of ​​operation”, he explains. The expectation is that the factory will have an annual production of 240 thousand tons of malt, a volume that currently corresponds to 15% of the national market.

Due to this partnership between the cooperatives, as well as the union of research by Fapa (Fundação Agrária de Pesquisa Agropecuária) and Fundação ABC, the barley cultivation area soon gained notoriety and began to grow every year. This, therefore, was the decisive scenario for the implementation of malting in the Campos Gerais Region, the result of intercooperation between Agrária, Unium, Coopagrícola and Bom Jesus. “With this new unit, there is a consensus that there will be new jobs in the region, in addition to increasing the profitability potential of our members, benefiting 12 thousand members of the system”.

Also according to the director, the areas already planted in the state present good development and health conditions, as a result of the satisfactory distribution of rainfall so far. “The general conditions are a harbinger of a good harvest in Paraná, however, as occurs in all agricultural activities, we depend on the continued regularity of both rain and temperature for us to have a good harvest”, he highlights. The year 2020 was challenging for barley cultivation, but the harvest outlook for this year points to growth of 30% compared to last year, thanks to the increase in planted areas and productivity.

The barley

Agronomist William Nolte comments that barley has a greater productivity potential than other winter crops, however, it is more demanding in terms, mainly, of soil fertility and phytosanitary care. “In recent years, the promotion of the industry together with the cooperative, added to the launch of new barley genotypes, has helped the area to increase significantly. Producers who did not have barley as a winter crop option began to believe in its potential and include it in the crop rotation system”, says Nolte. He adds that, in the last 10 years, barley productivity has shown growth of between 10% and 15% in the cooperative's areas.

For the agronomist, in addition to encouraging increased production, malting should bring greater security to producers, above all, in greater liquidity in marketing. “Barley is a great winter crop option and can be rotated alongside wheat and other crops. This provides an additional alternative for the producer and the possibility of increasing their income during this period.” Currently, two of the largest Brazilian breweries are installed in the region and the craft beer market has been growing throughout the country. “Certainly, the installation of the malthouse will greatly favor the synergy between production in the field and manufacturing, guaranteeing a raw material Of Quality."

The cooperative's vision

Henk and Vitor Salomons, father and son, plan to further increase barley planting on the family properties. “This is the sixth year that we have planted the crop in winter, which has proven to be a better alternative than wheat. The advantages have been seen, mainly, in productivity, fewer diseases and improved soil quality, as it leaves more straw”, say Capal's members. Of all the area that was used for wheat, a quarter is now used for barley. “We must increase this proportion even further and, without a doubt, the installation of the malting plant in Ponta Grossa will facilitate freight logistics, reducing our operating costs”, says Salomons.