Distributors use technology to predict and reduce risks for the next harvest

Agriculture continues to grow. According to CONAB (National Supply Company), grain production for the 2020/2021 harvest is estimated at 271,8 million tons, which represents an increase of 5,7% compared to the previous harvest. The VPB (Gross Value of Agricultural Production) reached the level of R$ 1,11 trillion in May. But this growth doesn't happen without facing some obstacles along the way.

Recently, we had around 70% of the corn harvest being planted outside the ideal window due to lack of rain, which reduced expected production by at least 10 million tons, according to market experts. This makes the market apprehensive about the next harvest that is coming.

Given this scenario, technological resources, increasingly applied in the sector, have contributed to reducing problems and losses. Technology is essential in the field and in agricultural financial operations. 

In the same way that it makes it possible, for example, to predict climate variation in certain regions during the coming months, today we also have fully effective resources to monitor a harvest from the beginning of planting until harvest, bringing security to input distributors , mainly related to the guarantees of an installment sale.

A good example is the use of satellite monitoring together with other technologies. Through these resources, the input distributor has constant and accurate information on the planted areas and it is possible to contain possible default.

In the past, crop monitoring was done exclusively through field visits, but the problem is that only part of the plantation was visited, due to the size of the total planted area, leaving room for losses. The lack of presence in the field generated problems such as non-planting and even a possible diversion of production.

What are the advantages of using technology to monitor crops?

With satellite monitoring and information processing, the distributor has a complete view of the warranty area, receiving constant updates on the progress of the harvest. This way, it is possible to predict risks of a drop in production and, through negotiations with the producer, guarantee payment of what was agreed.

TerraMagna, for example, analyzes and monitors crops through its own system that uses satellites, artificial intelligence and complementary data. Distributors can monitor the entire crop, from before planting until harvest, allowing decisions to be made during harvest time.

“It is no longer necessary to work only with a sample of the area, since satellites have the potential to analyze an area like the entire State of Mato Grosso in around 40 minutes. In this way, the agronomist's face-to-face visit is optimized, requiring him to only identify identified problems, not to look for them”, explains Bernardo Fabiani, specialist in granting credit for agribusiness and CEO of TerraMagna.

Preparing for the next harvest is essential for agriculture to remain the strong arm of the Brazilian economy. Technology brings security and benefits to the entire production chain. With it, distributors have more control and peace of mind with their guarantees, encouraging the granting of more credit to rural producers through installment sales, thus strengthening all agricultural production.