en.Wedoany.com Reported - The 11th grain harvest survey by Brazil's National Supply Company (Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento, Conab) indicates that Minas Gerais state's total grain output for the 2025/26 season is estimated at 19.08 million tons, a 3.7% increase over 2024/25. Favorable climate, expanded planted area, and improved yields jointly drove the growth, with corn standing out—as the second-largest planted grain after soybeans—posting a 9.8% increase in output.

The state's total grain planted area reached 4.38 million hectares, up 2% from the previous cycle; per-hectare yield stood at 4.3 tons, up 1.6%. Brazil's overall grain harvest is projected at 360.8 million tons, an increase of 8.5 million tons, or 2.4%, over the previous cycle.

Fabiano Vasconcelos, Conab's manager of harvest survey and assessment, stated that favorable climate has confirmed the growth in this season's harvest. First-crop corn and soybeans performed well, while the second crop saw expanded area but lower average yields for corn and sorghum. Dry weather in July aided the maturation and harvest of the second crop, consistent with normal conditions for the period; the reduced rainfall pattern in August is expected to persist, also favoring harvest progress.

For corn, 2025/26 output is estimated at 7.2 million tons, up 9.8%, with yields recovering 6.5% and area expanding 3.1% to a total of 1.11 million hectares.

First-crop corn harvested 4.74 million tons, up 23.4%, with area growing 8.3% and yield rising 14%, reaching an average of 7 tons per hectare.

Second-crop corn output totaled 2.48 million tons, down 9.3%. Compared with the same period last year, drier weather affected yields, bringing the average down to 5.5 tons per hectare; area fell 3.8% to 447,000 hectares. Harvesting is accelerating, but conditions vary by region: irrigated fields are in good shape; dryland areas in the Northwest and the Triângulo Mineiro suffered from delayed soybean planting that missed the ideal window and reduced rainfall; in Alto Paranaíba and southern Minas Gerais, more regular moisture conditions have helped sustain expectations.

Soybean output remained largely stable, dipping just 0.3% to 9.15 million tons, with yields at 3.9 tons per hectare, down 1.4%; planted area reached 2.3 million hectares, up 1.1%. Harvesting is complete, and the state has entered the phytosanitary void period (July 1 to September 30) to reduce the incidence of Asian rust between the first and next season.

Bean output is estimated at 541,000 tons, up 17% from last year, with first-crop beans harvesting 211,000 tons, up 2.8%.

Second-crop bean output reached 177,000 tons, up 19.4%; the third crop is projected at 153,600 tons, up 40.5%. The third crop is predominantly irrigated, concentrated in the state's northwest, and is developing well, with early results exceeding expectations and yields expected to be significantly higher than in 2024/25. During the survey period, most crops were in the maturation and grain-filling stages, with some plots already beginning harvest.

For cotton, plants are developing well and harvesting is progressing, supported by adequate rainfall and irrigated area. Seed cotton output is estimated at 114,000 tons, up 3.33%; lint cotton is projected at 81,300 tons, with yields up 16.4%.

Sorghum harvesting is underway, with adverse weather and late planting driving yields down 6.6% to a statewide average of about 3.7 tons per hectare; in the Triângulo Mineiro, yields are expected to fall below 3 tons per hectare, with many heads "light and shriveled." Sorghum output is estimated at 1.4 million tons, down 3.5%.