See photos
Piracicaba 25th – The potato harvest in Vargem Grande do Sul (a region of the Brazilian state of São Paulo), which began in July, ended in the first half of October. During the season, production was impacted by high temperatures, which reduced the quality of the seeds (there were greater cases of rot), resulting in a decline in planting, which was below what producers had planned, and a postponement of the peak planting period, which shifted from April to May. The heat and lack of rain continued to affect production throughout the harvest.
At the end of the season, the strong heat affected the quality of the potato skin more than the production. The combination of unfavorable weather conditions and lower-quality seeds resulted in an average partial productivity rate of the Vargem Grande do Sul harvest of just 30 tons per hectare, which, according to producers, is 20 to 30% lower than the region’s productive potential. The month with the highest productivity was August, which reached 36 tons per hectare, due to the slightly milder temperatures.
Regarding plant health, despite the manifestation of pests such as thrips and leaf miners throughout the period, control was effective. Even with these challenges, high potato prices during this harvest provided good profitability for the Vargem Grande do Sul producer.
Source: hfbrasil.org.br
