Corn ethanol will impact cereal exports in this second harvest

The third largest corn producer, Brazil is expected to increase production in 2023, but will also advance in domestic consumption, proportionally. Part of this increase in consumption is due to the production of corn ethanol, which is becoming a reality in states such as Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás and Mato Grosso. The information comes from Abramilho – Brazilian Association of Corn Producers, which launched the national planting of second harvest corn this Wednesday (15), in Campo Grande (MS).

According to the Association, Brazil reached the mark of 2022 billion liters of corn ethanol in 5,5, an increase of 800% in the last 5 years. The expectation for 2030 is 10 billion liters of fuel.

“Brazil will become the leader in exports in this 2022/23 harvest, even though it produces only 10% of all corn in the world. But internally, there will be a revolution in cereal consumption, with a forecast of appreciation, largely due to corn ethanol, which should open up opportunities for rural producers. Just as happened in Mato Grosso, other states should take advantage of this opportunity. And due to the need for a greater volume of this cereal, Brazil must advance in production in the coming years, to continue serving exports”, explains Glauber Silveira, president of Abramilho.

According to the secretary Semadesc - State Secretariat for Environment, Development, Science, Technology and Innovation of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Jaime Verruck, ethanol brings the possibility of increasing the value of corn. “The demand from swine and poultry farming, together with the allocation of corn for ethanol production, could become a key. This happened in Mato Grosso, where the minimum price was paid for corn and after the DDG, the appreciation was visible. Here in MS, the two plants together will demand 30% of the state’s harvest”, points out Verruck.

Based on this need for a greater production volume, in a sustainable scenario, experts advocate greater productivity, without opening new areas. And according to him, this involves choosing ideal hybrids, already tested in their regions. “Area to be planted, the technology that involves the seed, soil fertility, adduction to be used in the system and how this material behaves with the molicutes complex (leafhopper), these are some of the points that the rural producer needs to pay attention to, in order to stimulate their productivity”, explains Product Manager and agronomist at Produce, Juliano Ribeiro.

Responsible for intermediary between high technology products and rural producers, Produce points to results obtained in Mato Grosso, which need to be replicated, given this greater demand for cereal. ˜We can highlight harvests carried out in Mato Grosso, mainly in Híbrido Coronel, with 196 bags per hectare; in Nova Ubiratã, with 184 bags per hectare; and in Vera with 157,73 bags per hectare. These should be the targets of rural producers, especially considering the growing cost of production, which does not allow for adventure in agriculture”, explains the director and co-founder of Produce, Guilherme Trotta.

Regarding the differences between hybrids destined for trade (export), corn destined for cattle feed or ethanol, Product Manager and agronomist Juliano Ribeiro clarifies that the same ruler is used for all purposes, and that new markets are already they are demanding an increase in production and an improvement in the value of the grain to the producer. “The Mato Grosso market, which is today the largest producer of corn ethanol, consumes more than 20% of its state production, in Mato Grosso do Sul the plants must demand 30%, at this rate, we will need to evolve our productivity, to continue serving exports”, concludes the Produce agronomist.