Brazil's Bold Bid to Beat the US As the World's Top Maize Exporter

Brazil: In west-central Brazil, vast fields abound where a farmer plants Soybean and Maize on over 1,550 hectares of land. The said Maize, also known as the "safrinha," is a second crop that is expected to be harvested in June. Over the past decade, the safrinha has become Brazil's primary crop and has taken a considerable portion of the world's production.

This year, the expected production is set to hit a record, surpassing the United States, and making Brazil the world's leading Maize exporter. As per our sources estimate that 124.9 million tons of Maize will be produced, a 10.4 percent increase from the previous year. Second crop Maize accounts for 76.3 percent of the total production.

Despite facing a setback in Soybean harvest due to excessive rainfall in Mato Grosso, which is Brazil's major producer of Soybeans and Maize, farmers have shown a keen inclination towards investing more in the "safrinha" harvest.

The introduction of Maize Ethanol plants in 2017 has bolstered the price of the cereal grain, thereby attracting more producers to opt for a second crop. Owing to this trend, Corn has emerged as an increasingly attractive option, with farmers investing in better fertilizers, superior quality seeds and advanced machinery for swifter and precise plantation.

Brazil is ramping up its Corn cultivation efforts to boost productivity and increase production. The adoption of genetically modified varieties has led to these crops covering almost all the country's cornfields. With optimistic production forecasts, Brazil anticipates a surplus of Corn for export, allowing for greater sales abroad.

Recent geopolitical events, coupled with changing climate patterns, have further increased demand for Brazilian Corn, particularly considering poor harvests from traditional Corn powerhouses such as the United States, Argentina, and due to the ongoing war-Ukraine. Additionally, Brazil's Corn industry has been buoyed by the opening of the Chinese market, following the signing of a key agreement between Brasilia and Beijing earlier in 2022.

The US Department of Agriculture reports that Brazil is poised to become a leading contender in the global Corn market, potentially surpassing the US in exports this year. Currently projected to export 52 million tons of Corn, Brazil's production capacity is still on the rise with ample available land for crop cultivation and opportunities for increased productivity, key to sustaining this growth will be investment in agricultural machinery to streamline the sowing and harvesting process, coupled with improved infrastructure to facilitate the efficient disposal of production.