BRASILIA, BRAZIL — Accounting for second corn harvest progress, Brazil’s total production for crop year 2025-26 is seen by the National Supply Co. (Conab) tilting the scales at 361.7 million tonnes, a 2.6% increase year on year.

In its 12th survey of the current season released on Sept. 15, Conab said major crops such as soybeans, sorghum and corn hit record production levels on strong yields, while rice and wheat took a step back from 2024-25.

The country’s planted area grew 1.7% compared with 2024-25, reaching 83.5 million hectares. Soybeans saw the greatest expansion, up 1.3 million hectares (2.7%), while corn added 762,500 hectares (3.5%) and sorghum climbed 537,000 hectares (33%).

Leading production, the soybean harvest is projected at a record 180.4 million tonnes, up 5.2%, Conab said. The crop took advantage of greater planted area and a 2.5% increase in productivity. Exports for the world’s top supplier are projected to set a record at 116.2 million tonnes.

The total corn volume is estimated at 144 million tonnes, a 2% increase over the previous season. The first crop registered a record productivity of 7,191 kg/ha (an increase of 8.8%), while the second crop is projected at 112.1 million tonnes, only 1% below the previous record. The third crop, however, is expected to decrease by 20%, closing at 2.39 million tonnes.

Wheat production is forecast to reach 5.74 million tonnes in 2025-26, a 27% year-on-year decrease The decline is the result of a 21% reduction in cultivated area and lower average productivity (2,978 kg/ha, a 7.5% decrease). With a smaller domestic supply, imports are projected to be 7.06 million tonnes.

Brazil’s rice harvest is expected to total 11.08 million tonnes in 2025-26, a 13% decrease. The forecast mainly reflects a 14% reduction in planted area — an estimated at 1.52 million hectares — despite a 1% increase in average productivity, reaching 7,303 kg/ha. 

According to a survey by Conab, the choice of a smaller planted area for rice stems from less profitable prices for producers and a shift to crops such as soybeans and corn.

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John Reidy is senior digital media editor for World Grain, covering the grain, flour and feed industries. He spent 25 years in newspapers as a reporter and editor and has been an editor in the grain industry since 2019. He joined Sosland Publishing Company in 2021. He is a graduate of Creighton University with a degree in journalism. Connect with John Reidy on LinkedIn or via email.