Grain is used in the production of animal feed and other inputs for poultry farming, beef cattle farming, dairy farming and swine farming.

By Rafael Walendorff — Brasilia

The grain sorghum seed market increased 23% this year and generated R$357 million, according to a recently concluded study by Kynetec Brasil. Last year, the segment recorded business worth R$289 million.

The consultancy showed in the FarmTrak Sorgo survey that the sowing of the cereal, which is used in succession to soybeans or to replace second-crop corn, grew 7% in 2023, going from 1.17 million hectares in 2022 to 1.25 million hectares. hectares this year.

Minas Gerais is the main national producer of sorghum, with 385 thousand hectares cultivated, around 31% of the entire cultivated area in the country. Producers in Goiás plant around 373 thousand hectares and those in São Paulo, another 264 thousand hectares. Bahia and Mato Grosso appear next, with 235 thousand hectares each.

In terms of values, Minas Gerais generated R$109 million from the sale of sorghum seeds. Goiás and São Paulo negotiated R$106 million and R$75 million, respectively.

Kynetec's market intelligence analyst, the expert said that the average investment in purchasing sorghum seeds was R$283 per hectare for the 2023 harvest. "Producers used an average density close to 202 thousand plants per hectare, equivalent to nine kilos of seeds per hectare", he said in a note.

The research also revealed that more than 60% of the area cultivated this year used early hybrid materials. The study also observed a tendency for rural producers to adopt super early seeds, which were planted in 25% of the country's sorghum crops, around 312.5 thousand hectares.

In addition to being an alternative to second-crop corn, grain sorghum is advancing in the country due to its lower production cost and the offer of more rustic cultivars that are resistant to drought and climate variations.

Sorghum is used in the production of animal feed and other inputs for poultry farming, beef cattle farming, dairy farming and swine farming. Kynetec Brasil interviewed almost 300 sorghum producers between May and August in the main cereal growing regions in the country.