Reduction of area is essential to save the rice

The rice sector in Brazil is facing a challenging scenario, demanding attention from producers, industries, and resellers. Information from Itaobi Representações indicates that the area planted for the current crop should reach about 920 thousand hectares, a 5% reduction compared to the 2024/25 crop. This decrease, although small, is important for trying to balance the market in the face of high stock levels. Currently, the country records stocks ranging between 2 and 2.5 million tons, while the aggregate stock of Mercosur varies between 4.5 and 5 million tons. With these numbers, even if the production of the new crop is slightly lower, rice prices tend to remain below production costs in the 2025/26 crop, putting pressure on the entire production chain. In light of this context, the reduction in the planted area becomes essential to minimize losses and adjust the market. The guidance is to prioritize only areas of good productivity and economically viable, avoiding that excess ...