Challenges Amidst Harvest Season
Recent weather conditions have posed significant challenges to the rice harvest panorama in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. According to data from the Rio Grande do Sul Rice Institute (IRGA), the cultivated area spans 900,203 hectares, with an estimated yield of 8,325 kg per hectare, as reported by Emater/RS-Ascar.
Obstacles Due to Heavy Rains
However, the Conjunctural Informative released by Emater/RS-Ascar revealed that the harvest faced obstacles due to heavy rains hitting the state in mid-March. Operations were halted in various producing regions on March 15, with some fields experiencing damages such as lodging of plants and production losses due to strong winds.
Regional Insights
In the administrative region of Emater/RS-Ascar in Bagé, climatic conditions were more favorable between March 11 and 14, allowing progress in the harvest, especially in areas like Dom Pedrito and Aceguá, where 20% of the cultivated area was harvested. However, heavy rains on March 15 and 16 halted work in the Western Frontier, raising concerns about potential crop damage.
Continued Harvest Amidst Favorable Conditions
Conversely, in areas like Pelotas, the harvest continued with intensity, aided by dry and sunny weather, facilitating good grain formation and maturation. Most crops are in the maturation stage, representing 68% of the total area, with productivity expectations remaining steady.
In Santa Maria, 25% of the crops are in the grain-filling stage, with an expected yield of over 8,000 kg per hectare, while in Soledade, crops show good productive and phytosanitary development despite challenges posed by high temperatures and humidity, which created favorable conditions for the incidence of blast disease.
Price Fluctuations in Rice Market
Regarding commercialization, the price of a sack of rice saw a slight reduction of 1.12%, according to the weekly survey conducted by Emater/RS-Ascar, decreasing from R$ 103.68 to R$ 102.52.
As the rice harvest season progresses amidst variable weather patterns, farmers and stakeholders continue to monitor and adapt to changing conditions, aiming to mitigate losses and optimize yields.