Canola gains space among winter crops in RS

Last year, Beno Lutkemeyer, a farmer of Ernestina, in the gaúcho North, achieved a test: he planted canola in 35 hectares. Once pleased with the result he made a choice: "I approved canola, then I enlarged the area and I will no longer plant wheat because of its difficulty of classification and reduced minimum price".

This season, canola will occupy about 120 hectares. According to the producer's calculation, if wheat were planted instead, the cost would be R$ 1.200 per hectare, but with canola, R$ 400 per hectare might be saved.

According to the farmer, the best business is on commercialization. "Canola does not have any problem to be classified; the kilo produced is sold by final price".

The value of canola is based on the price of soybean, which is worth around R$ 40 in the state. The estimate is that the production in Rio Grande do Sul exceeds 45 thousand tons, the correspondent to 65% of all national production.

The Ministry of Agriculture attributes the increase in growing to the National Program of Production and Use of Biodiesel, which is possible to observe in industries of Passo Fundo. Last season, the plant guaranteed planting and commercialization of 1/3 of the gaúcha production.

According to the National Petroleum Agency (NPA), the country must produce more than two billion liters of biodiesel this year.

Watch the report exhibited on Globo Rural by clicking here.