Brazil's grain production should reach a record 270.7 million tons in 2022, some 7.8 percent more than this year, according to an official forecast Thursday by the IBGE statistics institute.

The projection for next year was 19.5 million tons higher than this year's harvest, which was slightly down from 2020 levels.

The projected rise was mainly due to better expectations for the maize harvest, recovering after being hard hit by drought.

The IBGE forecasted growth of 11.1 percent in maize production for the first harvest of 2022 to 2.8 million tons, and of 26.8 percent for the second harvest of some 16.3 million tons.

Brazil is the world's largest soybean producer, and number three for maize
Brazil is the world's largest soybean producer, and number three for maize AFP / SILVIO AVILA

Brazil is the world's number three maize producer, and number one for soybeans.

The IBGE forecast an increase of 0.8 percent or 11 million tons for soybean production in 2022. Projections for wheat and rice are down.

An earlier forecast by the government's agricultural supply agency Conab had put the 2022 grain production figure even higher, at 288.61 million tons.