Integrada cooperative members were successful in wheat farming

Winter farming, also known as “safrinha” or “second harvest”, was for a long time an alternative to not leave the land idle, help with soil cover and take advantage of the weather conditions to produce a little more, but without high expectations. .  

In recent years, with the advancement of technologies and good management practices (cultivars indicated for each region and planting season, phytosanitary management, crop rotation, rational use of pesticides), the winter harvest has achieved protagonist status, bringing profitability to the farmer. 

The 2022 harvest was the most favorable for wheat in the last five years, in the assessment of Integrada's input manager, Romildo Birelo. According to him, there were no extreme variations in the weather, such as intense frost or prolonged drought in the formation of the grain. “To give you an idea, since 2017, the average farmer's productivity did not exceed 2.000 kilos per hectare, due to drought and frost. This year the average could be above 3.000 kilos per hectare”, points out Birelo. 

The survey carried out by SEAB, Paraná's Department of Agriculture and Supply, shows that the 2022 wheat harvest had a production 21% greater than last year, without an increase in area. The producer must also obtain an average productivity 26% higher this year. The estimate is that productivity across the State is 3.309 kilos per hectare. 

“The member who opted for wheat, to avoid the risks of the corn leafhopper, also had the advantage of getting a wave of good prices for the grain. This is due to the demand for wheat in the world, given the scenario of war in Russia and Ukraine, major global producers”, explains Birelo. 

Cooperators were successful in wheat farming 

The 2022 winter harvest saw a slight increase in area in the option for wheat. In the regions covered by Integrada's members, 107 thousand hectares were allocated to grain.  

Cooperator Joel de Carvalho invested in planting wheat on the properties of Guapirama and Jundiaí do Sul. Wheat is already a tradition in the producer's winter harvest: 100 bushels were planted and this year, the farmer celebrates the health of the crop. 

“We managed to escape the blast. We changed the planting season, which used to be in April and started at the beginning of May. To our surprise, we didn’t have any cases of the disease on the farm”, celebrates Carvalho. 

In Mauá da Serra, the climate favored the agricultural calendar. Member Carlos Kamiguchi planted 87 hectares of wheat, within the recommended climate risk zone, and had high productivity. The choice of seed was fundamental for good production: he opted for TBIO Audaz, with an early cycle and high resistance against blast and Fusarium head blight. 

The farmer managed to harvest before the rain began, in mid-September. This yielded high quality grain with a PH between 82 and 84, and a productivity of 3.930 kg/ha.  

 “I was very pleased with this year’s production. During filling there was a lack of rain, but it did not compromise the harvest”, celebrates Kamiguchi. 

The technical coordinator of the Arapongas Regional, Rodrigo Ambrósio, explains that, in the region, there was a small drop in productivity due to water scarcity. “We had around 40 days of drought, without any rain, which did not harm the formation, but which had a negative effect of around 15% on the weight of the grain”, he says.  

Even with specific problems, Integrada should receive a volume of high quality wheat, mainly coming from higher and colder regions.  

National wheat autonomy 

Favorable climate and competitive price. Wheat production in Brazil surpassed the 9 million ton mark in the winter harvest. According to the latest Conab survey, dated September 20, 2022, the country should harvest 9.365.900 tons, around 22% more than in the last harvest (7.679.400 tons).  

In Paraná, the estimate is for a production of 3.794.100 tons, a volume 18% higher than that recorded in 2021, when production reached 3.208.300 tons, according to the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply of Paraná - Seab .  

The high productivity of wheat could soon lead to Brazil being self-sufficient to supply the domestic market. Currently, demand reaches 13 million tons, but the country imports around 50% of the grain that is consumed domestically.  

According to projections made by researchers from Embrapa Trigo, based on a survey of 29 cooperatives that work in wheat production, the country produced in 2022, 1,5 million tons more than in the last winter harvest, without new openings of areas or use of new technologies, simply focusing on good planting and harvesting practices. 

For Integrada's input manager, Romildo Birelo, these projections of increased productivity could put Brazil in a comfortable situation within 4 years. 

“This year’s harvest exceeded 9 million tons. If it continues at the same pace, but being conservative in its projections, I believe that in 4 years the country will no longer need to import wheat”, estimates Birelo. 

Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul are together responsible for 90% of all national production. Embrapa researchers have already achieved surprising results with the BRS 264 cultivar, planted in the Brazilian Cerrado using irrigation.  

“Today we have cultivars developed for any type of soil, resistant to pests, diseases, excess or lack of water, which allows farmers to achieve high levels of quality and productivity. Wheat, without a doubt, becomes the protagonist in winter crops”, concludes Birelo.