The harvest of rice in Rio Grande do Sul it was resumed and is approaching its end, benefiting from the climate with little rain in the South, Center and West regions of the state. According to information in the Economic Information released this Thursday (23/05) by Emater/RS-Ascar, farmers have already harvested around 95% from crops. However, the losses caused by the submersion of mature crops and the lodging of plants are consolidated, leading many producers to abandon the remaining areas due to the technical and economic unfeasibility of carrying out the operation.
In some municipalities, producers are completing the harvest and taking advantage of the drier weather to incorporate stubble and advance the preparation of plots for the next harvest. The cultivated area in the State is estimated at 900,203 hectares, according to the Rio Grandense do Arroz Institute (IRGA). Productivity, initially estimated at 8,325 kg/ha, is expected to suffer a reduction after the survey of losses that is being carried out.
In Dom Pedrito, farmers completed the harvest, which saw a drop in productivity of 4.4%, due to late planting, less sunlight and intense rainfall that hit the last harvested areas. Furthermore, Manoel Viana, after the flooding caused by the flood of the Ibicuí River, some farmers finished harvesting on waterlogged land, facing extremely low productivity and inferior quality grains.
In Quaraí, they completed 97% of the harvest; however, in certain areas, only machines equipped with tracks have proven effective due to the sludge. In São Borja, the harvest continued in the parts of the farms that emerged after the waters receded, with some plantations completely ruined, triggering Proagro to compensate for losses in the financed areas.
In São Gabriel, the harvest progressed well after slow weeks, with around 2,600 hectares remaining, 10% of the total.
Advancement and challenges in rice harvesting
In the Pelotas region, rice farmers restarted harvesting intensely and as a priority, taking advantage of the period of low accumulated volumes. This scenario made it possible to carry out the operation as soon as the moisture conditions of the rice grains and straw reached adequate levels for the trail. Farmers have already completed 96% of the harvest, with only 4% remaining to be harvested in Arroio Grande, Canguçu, Rio Grande and Santa Vitória do Palmar.
In the Santa Maria region, harvesting resumed in places least affected by the floods, reaching 88% of the cultivated area. Before the excessive rains, they had harvested 80% of the crop. The initial productivity expectation was 7,800 kg/ha, but the current calculation indicates 7,314 kg/ha, representing a loss of approximately 6% in relation to the initial expectation. There are still 12% left to harvest, but they will not harvest part of these areas.
In the Santa Rosa region, rice farmers have completed the harvest and are focused on marketing. After the bad weather in recent weeks, there was a positive change in cereal prices in the region. Producers report greater profitability this harvest, despite the difficulties faced during harvest.
Significant losses in rice crops
In the Soledade region, they will record the greatest losses proportionally in relation to the cultivated area, since they estimate that 35% of crops have not yet been harvested. Many of these areas are inaccessible to machines, and preliminary municipal reports show that losses tend to be almost total because much of the rice is bedded and grain germination is high. In Pantano Grande and Venâncio Aires, where they harvested more than 85% from crops, losses are smaller. In other municipalities, the unharvested area is more significant. Farmers in Candelária harvested 60% before the floods, which caused losses to crops and stored grains. Lack of energy can increase losses.
According to a survey by Emater/RS-Ascar, the sack of rice in the State increased by 3.30%, from R$ 107.90 to R$ 111.46.
Source: Seane Lennon | agrolink
