Dec 16, 2025
Grain Sorghum Production Increasing Significantly in Brazil
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Brazilian farmers are increasingly adopting grain sorghum as an alternative to corn as a second crop following soybeans, especially if the corn might be planted late. Grain sorghum offers a combination of higher drought tolerance, lower production costs, and increasing integration with the biofuels industry.
According to data from Conab, the 2024/25 grain sorghum harvest reached 5.96 million tons an increase of 34.8% compared to the previous year. Brazilian farmers planted 1.59 million hectares of grain sorghum in 2024/25 (3.9 million acres), an increase of 9.6% compared to the prior year.
The advance of grain sorghum is driven in part by the ethanol industry, which finds in the grain an equivalent yield to corn in biofuel production, in addition to DDGs with high nutritional value. New ethanol facilities in the North, Northeast, and Mato Grosso do Sul are being designed to utilize grain sorghum along with corn.
The opening of the Chinese market to imported Brazilian grain sorghum offers additional incentives for the grain.
Grain sorghum adapts well to planting after February 20, a period marked by reduced rainfall and a greater risk for corn. Yields can exceed 140 sacks per hectare (135 bu/ac) and reduce infections and the use of defensive chemicals contribute to a more sustainable production system.