Corn and soy have increased the demand for grains to supply industries and sectors such as livestock in Alagoas. A study released by a researcher from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) Tabuleiros Costeiros revealed that a 42% deficit between the harvest produced in the state and domestic consumption. The expectation is that this year, domestic market demand will be 250 thousand tons of corn and soybean meal.
The information was provided by Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros researcher, Antônio Santiago, who presented an overview of the sector during the technical meeting held in the city of Arapiraca. According to the National Supply Company (Conab), in the 2022/2023 harvest Alagoas had a production of 145 thousand tons of corn and 19.1 thousand tons of soybeans.
Santiago pointed out that there is room for Alagoas to grow and be able to serve both the domestic and foreign markets, but that there is dependence on favorable weather conditions during the agricultural year.
“Our production is insufficient to meet our domestic market, not only for corn and soybeans, but also for rice and beans. We have technologies available to serve the productive areas in the regions, with the use of improved seeds, soil management with direct planting, fertilization and everything that can give us high productivity results in the field”, explains the researcher.
According to Antônio, animal feed has driven the demand for grains in the state, as the cattle and poultry herd has grown in recent years, due to a diversification in agriculture, resulting from crises in the sugar and alcohol sector, which opened up space for areas where previously sugar cane was planted, pastures for cattle and soybeans began to be planted.
“Just one industrial group in the state absorbs almost 120 thousand tons of corn for human and animal consumption. The areas planted with soybeans and livestock cultivation have been growing since 2014, when the sugar and alcohol sector faced some crises and as a result we saw a reduction in the area planted with sugarcane. These less prone areas were destined for other crops and livestock farming, which was one of them, today absorbs a lot of protein derived from soy and energy from corn”, he explained.
The researcher also explained that this food demand for soybean meal and corn from cattle increases in the state’s dairy basin, since the food composition of these animals consists of cactus, soybeans and corn.
To meet demand, Alagoas imports corn from Sergipe, Bahia, Tocantins and Mato Grosso. Soybean meal comes from Goiás, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Bahia and Sergipe.
The executive secretary of Agricultural Policies at the Alagoas Department of Agriculture (Seagri), Aline Melo, highlighted the importance of debate with producers and researchers about production and demands of the domestic market.
“We have open dialogue with all agricultural sectors in the state. The grain production sector is one of the most important in local agribusiness because it mainly serves livestock in Alagoas, in animal feed. Moments like this when we can get together and discuss how to continue moving forward are important”, highlighted Aline Melo.
Corn is also used for ethanol production
In addition to human and animal food, corn has been used to produce ethanol in the state. The Pindorama cooperative, in the south of Alagoas, has been investing in the production of ethanol from corn and sorghum, a family grain Poaceaewhich is used in the production of food, fuel and fodder.
Data from the cooperative itself indicates that in the last harvest, biofuel production was 9.5 million liters. The rise in the price of commodity has caused the plant to invest more in sorghum for ethanol production, as it is a cheaper cereal than corn.
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