Despite the lack of rain, corn is harvested in RS

The recurrent lack of rain in the State has hampered the development of corn cultivation and is already producing losses in crops cultivated by family farmers and medium and large producers. According to the Conjunctural Information, released by Emater/RS-Ascar, in partnership with the State Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development (Seapdr), the crop reached 99% of planting in the area of ​​777.442 hectares planned for this harvest. Of the planted crops, 24% are in the vegetative development phase, 13% in flowering, 31% in grain filling, 27% mature and 5% have already been harvested. 

In the administrative region of Emater/RS-Ascar de Ijuí, the phases of vegetative development (1%) and flowering (3%) are ending, and corn cultivation is progressing towards grain filling (44%), maturation (47% ) and harvest (5%). The productive potential of crops has varied due to the sparse rainfall that occurred during December. In those planted between the end of September and beginning of October, the impact of losses has been greater and producers are requesting Proagro. Harvesting of the first crops has begun and, in Tenente Portela, the results have shown good productivity. Producers are waiting for better soil moisture conditions to carry out the second planting of the crop in areas that anticipated harvesting for silage production.

In the Santa Rosa region, the corn cultivation area is expected to exceed the planned planting intention by 120.078 hectares, which has already reached 81% of the area. The implementation of the harvest corn was completed and the planting of the second crop began. Of the planted crop, 4% is in vegetative development, 2% in flowering, 16% in grain filling, 60% in maturation and 18% were harvested as whole plant silage. During the week, the ripening process accelerated, due to the loss of water from the grains, and the crops have shown a low rate of attack by pests and diseases. There are few communications from Proagro in this Emater/RS-Ascar region, unlike the Frederico Westphalen region, where 71 requests for Proagro coverage were registered. In this region, crops sown from mid-September have been experiencing losses due to drought, with a reduction in productivity estimated at up to 30%. If weather conditions persist, the drop in regional productivity is expected to reach 20%.

Regarding corn silage, the regions of Erechim and Santa Rosa have 50% in the grain formation phase and 50% of the crop has already been harvested. There is a reduction in productivity due to the lack of rain. At Santa Rosa, cutting for silage was intensified due to the forced maturation of the plants, caused by the high temperatures of recent days. Producers are waiting for the return of rain to begin planting areas destined for silage/safrinha corn. In the Caxias do Sul region, areas destined for silage production are being processed, even with withered plants and practically no ears forming. There is a request for insurance release to enable new sowing in many areas.

Soy - Soybean planting in RS reached 99% of the area planned for the harvest of 5.978.967 hectares. Of the crops with the crop, 75% are in vegetative development, 22% in flowering and 3% in the grain filling phase. On the Northwest Frontier, planting is completed and the implementation of the second crop has already begun in post-corn harvest areas. In crops with super early cultivars, harvesting began; The microclimate that allows seeding to be anticipated in Porto Lucena means that 5% of the area has already been harvested. Crop productivity reached between 48 and 65 bags per hectare. In general, the plants are healthy, well nourished, with good nodulation. Producers continue to apply herbicides and begin preventive fungicide treatments in the morning, which presents the most suitable conditions. In crops with shallow soils, the water deficit associated with high temperatures and low air humidity has caused plants to wilt. In some cases, plants even die.

In the Ijuí region, 91% of the area with soybeans is in the vegetative development phase, 9% in flowering and 1% in grain filling. Crops in the Celeiro region, located to the North, continue to develop satisfactorily. In Coredes Noroeste Colonial and Alto Jacuí, the lack of rain has compromised the normal development of the crop. Producers carry out preventive applications of fungicides and insecticides and the crops are in good health.

Rice - The crop in RS is in the germination/vegetative development (75%), flowering (20%) and grain filling (5%) phases. In general, the sequence of days with high luminosity, combined with water availability and associated with high temperatures in the morning and afternoon and mild temperatures at night, has been favorable to the good development of the crop.

1st harvest beans - In the Emater/RS-Ascar de Ijuí region, the crop is in the grain filling (3%), maturation (14%) and harvest (83%) phases. The harvest progresses quickly due to stable weather conditions, with little rain, favorable to the drying of grains in the field. The harvested grains have been of good quality. There is a reduction in productivity in crops planted later due to the lack of water for plant development.

Of the first bean harvest crops in the Frederico Westphalen region, 10% are completing the grain filling phase and 90% have already been harvested. In general, the crop presents good development, good quality grains and an average productivity of 1.800 kilos per hectare. In the Pelotas region, 19% of crops are in the flowering phase, 40% are in grain filling, 21% are in maturation and 20% have already been harvested. The crop has been feeling the effects of hot and dry weather since last December, conditions that persist at the beginning of the year, signaling a reduction in productivity and production due to the water stress of plants, especially in crops in the flowering and grain filling phases. .

 

OLERY CROPS

Onion - In the Pelotas region, the largest onion producer in RS, the planting area is 2.785 hectares. The dry and hot weather at the end of November and December hampered the development of the crop in the final phase of the cycle, especially in early cultivars; however, it greatly favored harvesting and curing, producing onions with excellent skin and color, quality items valued in marketing and storage. Currently, the crop remains in the harvesting phase, heading towards closure. The harvest is expected to have lower productivity than initially expected, falling below 30 tons per hectare. Producers send part of the onion to storage.

The region's onions are destined for sale in markets throughout Brazil. Prices paid to producers are significantly reduced, due to excess supply in local, regional and national markets. With no prospect of immediate improvements in prices, producers must store production in warehouses or in sheltered locations, covered by tarpaulins, but not for a period longer than 45 days, due to high losses in this type of storage. The price paid to the producer is between R$ 0,40 and R$ 0,50/kg for box 3 (or type 3, whose diameter was changed by five millimeters: from 50 to 55 and from 70 to 75 mm) and R$0,15 to R$0,20/box. type 2. Producers are concerned about price stability, with no prospects for appreciation, and that they do not cover the cost of production.

 

FRUITS

Peach - In the Emater/RS-Ascar de Pelotas region, the area with peach (industry and table) is 5.311 hectares, cultivated by 1.041 producers/families. The crop is in the harvest phase, heading towards the end, with 85% of the crop already harvested. A drop in total production is expected. The region is expected to harvest a crop of between 35 and 37 million kilos. The lack of rainfall in recent weeks has affected fruit growth, resulting in the production of peaches classified as type II, of lower commercial value. Some producers report losses from hail and wind.

Vine - In the Emater/RS-Ascar region of Caxias do Sul, milder temperatures and the return of rain, although sparse and with irregular volumes, improved the general picture of the culture and the mood of winegrowers. However, some areas in the region still lack soil moisture to stop the process of production losses. The vineyards with new seedlings and some specific varieties, such as Couderc red and Bordô, have been showing greater susceptibility to drought, with yellowing and falling leaves, forced maturation of fruits and wilting of berries. In these vineyards, many producers are resorting to a wide range of water supplementation options to try to save the plants, with the use of tanker trucks to transport water frequently occurring.

Watermelon - In the Soledade region, watermelon harvesting began, in an area of ​​around 2.500 hectares located in Encruzilhada do Sul and Rio Pardo. Crops experience a loss of around 40% in productivity, due to drought. There are also problems in marketing the production, due to the small size of the fruits. Watermelon is sold at R$0,60/kg.