Sorisso
Mato Grosso, Brazil

In 2004, the municipality of São Desidério was the major producer of upland seed cotton

The use of new areas and technologies contributed to the increase of productivity of cotton in Mato Grosso, which changed from 1, 390 kg/ha, in 1994, to 3, 303 kg/ha in 2004. The Brazilian production of upland cotton was 3 798 254 tons in 2004; it represented an increase of 72.71% in relation to the previous year. This increase occurred mainly due to the growth of planted area by 61.39%, a consequence of good market prices.

The South region has the best rice harvest in its history

In 2004, the harvest of 13,276 million tons of rice represented a new national record. This result was influenced by the following factors: favorable climate conditions, wide use of technology, and the implementation of production systems developed by institutions of research and incentive to agricultural production in Brazil.

The main producer is Paraná, having harvested 664,334 tons in 2004, equivalent to 22.40% of the overall production in the country. The major producers in the state of Paraná were Prudentópolis, Reserva, Irati and Lapa, which, together, accounted for 18.52% of the state production and 4.15% of the national total. The state of Minas Gerais is the second producer, having harvested, in 2004, a total 464 290 tons, 14.68% less than in the previous harvest. In this state, the municipality of Unaí is the major producer, with 66,600 tons in 2004, equivalent to 14.34% of the state total. At national level, Unaí is also the number one producer, with a participation of 2.25% of the overall national production. Bahia, with a production of 330 734 tons, 7.18% less than in 2003, is the third in the ranking. The municipality of Adustina is the highlight of 2004, with a total of 24 948 tons, 7.53% of the production in the state of Bahia.

Bahia accounted for 82.7% of the national harvest of castor beans

In 2004, the Brazilian production of castor beans was 137,976 tons, an increase of 64.9% in relation to the previous harvest, stimulated by the increase of planted area and of productivity. Bahia accounted for 82.7% of the national harvest, with the municipality of Ibititá as the major national producer, with 12,000 tons of castor beans. Ibititá was responsible for 10.51% of the production in the state of Bahia and of 8.7% of the national production.

Rio Grande do Sul has the smallest production of corn (grain) in 25 years

In 2004, the production of corn was 41.805 million tons, representing a decrease of 13.49% in relation to the 2003 harvest (48.327 million tons). In spite of the existence of corn crops in all the Federative Units, 90% of the national production is concentrated in the following states: Paraná (10.953 million tons), Minas Gerais (5.952 million tons), São Paulo (4.647 million tons), Goiás (3.523 million tons), Mato Grosso (3.408 million tons), Rio Grande do Sul (3.371 million tons), Santa Catarina (3.257 million tons) and Mato Grosso do Sul (2.374 million tons). In these states, corn producers, the general trend was the reduction of planting area due to the low price of corn.

The harvest of 2004 was extremely affected by the dry season occurred in a great area of the South region and by the cyclone "Catarina", which brought several damages to the coast and to the inner parts of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Paraná was the major national producer, having contributed with approximately 26% of the production. The municipality of Guarapuava is the highlight as the major producer of corn in the state, with 209,440 thousand tons, equivalent to 1.91% of the overall state production. Such percentage reveals the spread of corn crops in Paraná.

As a consequence of the dry season, Rio Grande do Sul had the lowest corn production (3,376 million tons) in the last 25 years, besides a reduction (8%) of planted area. The state, which had been the major corn producer in 2003, was ranked in the sixth position in 2004.

Although the central west Region presented a reduction of 5.79% in the production of corn, it remained in third place among the producing regions in the country. The municipalities of Jataí (GO), Chapadão do Céu (GO), Sapezal (MT), Sorriso (MT), Lucas do Rio Verde (MT), Nova Mutum (MT), Maracaju (MS) and Dourados (MS) are among the ten major producers of cereal in the country. In this ranking of municipalities with greatest production of corn, can also be highlighted São Desidério (BA) and Unaí (MG).

The municipality of Sorriso (MT) was the highlight as the major Brazilian producer of soybeans

In 2004, the production of soybeans amounted to 49.552 million tons, representing a decrease by 4.56% in relation to the production of the pervious year (51.919 million tons). The states of the South region were affected by the dry season and Mato Grosso, Goiás and Minas Gerais registered excessive rain, resulting in loss of crops.

In this harvest, Mato Grosso, even having faced the excess of rain and ocurrence of Asian rust, had its position as main producer in the country consolidated and accounted for 29.30% of the national production. The municipality of Sorriso (MT) se was the highlight as the major Brazilian producer, followed by Sapezal (MT) and Campo Novo do Parecis (MT).

Production of sorghum (grain) has grown by 390% in the last five years

Sorghum crops have had a good performance in the Central West region for being an alternative to 2^nd harvest corn, due to its great resistance to climatic adversities. Sorghum contributes to the reduction of chicken and swine food production costs, without big losses in terms of nutrients. In the last five years, the Brazilian production of sorghum grew by 390%, going from 553,644 thousand tons in 1999, to 2,163 million tons in 2004. In relation to the previous harvest, production grew by 19.8% and the major producers were Goiás and Mato Grosso, accounting, respectively, for 34.2% and 17.1% of the overall amount produced.

Production of wheat (grain) has grown by 330% in the last five years

Wheat is an important item in the national basic food basket. Its production grew from 1,725 million tons, in 1999, to 5,745 million tons, in 2004, an increase of more than 330% in five years. Despite this result, Brazil still needs imports to supply its internal demand. In relation to 2003, the harvest of 2004 had a decrease of 6.6%, influenced by the lack of rain, in the South region. It also presented the lowest investment in crops due to the loss of purchasing power of farmers, with the destruction of the summer harvest. Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul had the major production of wheat, with, respectively, 51.8 and 35.9 % of the overall figure in the country.

The survey Municipal Agricultural Production, released by IBGE, presents, in this volume, data about planted area, harvested area, amount produced, overall yield and production costs for 13 products (arboreous and herbaceous seed cotton, peanuts, rice, oats, rye, barley, beans, castor beans, corn, soybeans and wheat). The publication contains information about the Great Regions and Federative Units; the CD-ROM presents data referring to the Mesoregions, Geographical Microregions and Municipalities.

The tables showing the municipalities and the items produced by them are attached, in annex.