Grain sorghum production in Brazil doubled over last four years

Grain sorghum is one of the most widely planted cereal crops in the world and it is gaining in importance in Brazil. Grain sorghum is a versatile crop that can be used for human and animal consumption as well as to produce biofuels.

According to Conab, in 2024/25, Brazil will plant 1.46 million hectares of grain sorghum (3.6 million acres), which represents an increase of 2.9% with a production of 4.42 million tons. The Brazilian Association of Corn and Sorghum Producers (Abramilho) indicated that grain sorghum production in Brazil doubled over the last four years and Brazil is now a major world producer.

Grain sorghum production can be adapted to different regions of Brazil and in various crop rotations. Grain sorghum is more tolerant to dry conditions which are frequently found in the semi-arid regions of northeastern Brazil. It can also be planted as a second crop following soybeans in central Brazil. The second crop often encounters dry weather at the end of the growing season which would have less impact on sorghum compared to corn. Under proper management, sorghum production in Brazil can surpass 190 sacks per hectare (180 bu/ac).

Sorghum is in high demand for human consumption to produce beer, gluten free flower, and biofuels. A kilogram of corn and a kilogram of sorghum has the capacity to produce the same quantity of ethanol with similar qualities. New biofuel facilities that are being built in Brazil will be able to utilize corn or grain sorghum to produce ethanol. In fact, a new facility being built in northeastern Brazil will use grain sorghum as its principal feed stock.

Grain sorghum production has grown in popularity in central Brazil as a second crop following soybeans due to its lower cost of production and greater tolerance to dry weather especially if soybean planting and harvesting is delayed like it has been for the last two growing seasons.