Agricultural zoning for the 1st bean harvest in MG establishes precautions during the period

Minas Gerais is already working with the agricultural zoning guidelines for climate risk for the 1st harvest bean crop for the 2020/2021 agricultural year. The state is the second largest producer of beans in Brazil, with total production estimated at 539 thousand tons and a planted area of ​​355,2 thousand hectares, according to data from Conab's 8th Grain Survey (2019/2020 Harvest). In the country, the state of Minas Gerais is second only to Paraná in the ranking of largest producers. Furthermore, around 70% of the bean crop in Minas comes from family farming.

Agricultural climate risk zoning aims to identify, each year, suitable municipalities and sowing periods for growing beans in the state, at three risk levels: 20%, 30% and 40%. Its instructions help to minimize risks related to climatic phenomena, allowing each producing municipality to identify the best time to plant the crop, in different types of soil and the best cultivars.

This zoning is an instrument of agricultural policy and risk management in agriculture. What is in force in Minas Gerais is contained in Ordinance No. 40 of April 22, 2020 of the federal government, published in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU) by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa).

“The ordinance establishes deadlines for planting in certain regions of the state. So if the producer cultivates outside the defined ranges, it is his risk. It cannot be accredited for any insurance, due to drought or excessive rain, for example”, informs the state technical coordinator of Cultures at Emater-MG, Sérgio Brás Regina. Emater-MG is linked to the State Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Seapa).

Emater's role

For the Emater-MG coordinator, the role of the company's extensionist, in publicizing the ordinance, is to clarify to bean producers the importance of complying with what the Map determines. “Especially those who are applying for credit, so that they do not cultivate outside the expected intervals”, he highlights.

According to Sérgio Regina, it is up to the local extension agent to alert farmers to climate risks. “For example, growing water beans (spring/summer) and having problems with excessive rainfall during the harvest, because they can lose all the beans or have beans of inferior quality. So this is the role of the technician. Guide the producer, so that he knows the ordinance and avoids unnecessary risks”, he explains.

Family farming in Jequitibá (MG)

Family farmer José Ricardo Falcão Moreira, president of the Cooperative of Family Farmers of Jequitibá and Region (Cooperaje), which brings together 54 affiliates from the central region of Minas, states that he strictly follows Emater-MG guidelines to avoid losses due to climate fluctuations and other occurrences during the bean harvest.

“We usually plant in March, after the rainy season, and harvest in June. We try to plant in higher places. Even so, we suffered losses from this year's flood, which destroyed many bean crops”, admits José Ricardo. Jequitibá was one of the cities in the central region that was flooded by the rains in the last week of January this year. The Rio das Velhas, which runs through the city, almost overflowed its banks.

According to the president of Cooperaje, in addition to climate care guidelines, the techniques that work at the Emater-MG office in Jequitibá also work on other demands from producers. “We received assistance from Emater, which is very good. The girls here serve us very well (referring to the local extension agents). For example, when we want to take care of a sick plant, carry out an analysis of the soil or find out how much fertilizer we should use”, he explains.

Also according to José Ricardo, the legumes that Cooperaje acquires from its members are destined for the National School Feeding Program (Pnae). The quantity sold varies, depending on the farmer. “People harvest, on average, around 3 thousand kilos of beans per hectare, in the three harvests, but total production varies according to the contracts we signed with city halls and the schools' schedules. In 2019, for example, we delivered 103 tons of the Estilo variety carioquinha to the Belo Horizonte city hall’s public call,” he informs.

According to the agricultural technician at Emater-MG in Jequitibá, Mara Dias de Castro, concern about climate problems, which could harm the bean crop, is part of the company's actions in the municipality, which serves 40 family farmers in the activity. “We always recommend using quality, certified and treated seeds to avoid some diseases. We also recommend avoiding planting at times when there is a risk of heavy rain during flowering and harvesting, as this can cause a lot of damage to farmers,” she argues.

Data from the company's office in Jequitibá points to the existence of 40 family farmers and three medium producers involved in the cultivation of beans in the municipality. Annual production is around 180 tons of legumes. Family farming has a planting area of ​​40 hectares and medium producers have an area of ​​25 hectares.

As the local cooperative's production is heavily focused on the Pnae bean market, Emater-MG's technique points to the need to professionalize this segment. “Today it is the product that represents the greatest added value and volume for the cooperative”, he explains.

The agricultural technique informs that local producers start planting in February. “But with greater sowing volume between the months of March and April”, he points out. Also according to Mara Dias, 2nd harvest beans (drought beans or safrinha beans) have a lower climate risk. “I would say 20%, as the rainy season is already over and here the beans are all irrigated”, she explains. 

On the other hand, according to the technique, in the 3rd harvest (autumn/winter) the climate risk is 30%. “We have few producers who take the risk of planting. The later this planting, the greater the risk at harvest. We also have a shortage of water for irrigation during this period, in Jequitibá”, he informs, adding that 1st harvest beans (feião das Águas) are not recommended in the municipality, as the risk of heavy rains is greater during the season.