Grain harvest closes out 2019 with a record 241.5 mi tons

The harvest of cereals, legumes, and oleaginous plants closed out 2019 with a record-breaking 241.5 million tons, as per the latest estimates released today (Jan. 8) by the Brazilian government’s statistics agency IBGE. The amount is up 6.6 percent from its 2018 counterpart, when 226.5 million tons were harvested.

Soybeans—the country’s flagship export—however, was reported at 113.5 million tons, down 3.7 percent from 2018. Rice also saw a reduction, of 12.6 percent.

The slips were chiefly compensated for by the record production of 100.6 million tons of corn, up 23.6 percent from 2018, and 6.9 million tons of cotton, up 39.8 percent.

Outlook for 2020

IBGE has published a third prognosis for the 2020 harvest, which should be even larger than the 2019 estimate. The institute expects the production of 243.2 million tons—0.7 percent higher than last year.

Among the six main harvests, only the second corn harvest is likely to show a reduction from 2019 (10.4%). The others are expected to increase: soybeans (7.8%), rice (0.9%), first corn harvest (1.8%), cotton (2.7%), and the first beans harvest (3.3%).