Historic drought in Brazil will impact food prices

The drought in Brazil between 2023 and 2024 is the most intense in recent history. This is what a report by the National Center for Monitoring Natural Disasters (Cemaden) has shown. Climate change has increasingly impacted life on the planet, particularly food production. And this has had a direct impact on citizens' pockets.

According to the National Supply Company (Conab), food production will decrease and prices will increase. The foods that will be most affected will be oranges and bananas. Most of the country's orange production is concentrated in São Paulo and the Triângulo Mineiro region, regions that have been severely affected by drought and fires. Banana prices have already increased considerably this year due to irregular rainfall in the country.

“Prices should therefore remain high at least until the beginning of November, when the new crop of nanica bananas from the Ribeira Valley, northern Santa Catarina and northern Minas Gerais traditionally enters the market, in addition to the silver banana in December originating from Minas Gerais and Bahia, mainly”, highlighted the Executive Director of Agricultural Policy and Information at Conab, Sílvio Isoppo Porto.

Rains in the south impact protein prices

Excessive rainfall in the south of the country caused by the La Niña phenomenon may impact the prices of pork and chicken proteins. This is because around 70% of national food production occurs in the region that has suffered from above-average rainfall. However, proteins produced in other parts of the country more impacted by the drought will suffer more significant price increases.

“Thinking about milk, meat, rice, beans, chicken and eggs, the impact on prices should be longer lasting during the dry season, especially in regions such as the Central-West, Southeast and Northeast, where climate conditions are more severe.”, highlighted Conab.

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_{One of the most consumed fruits in Brazil, bananas are among the foods most impacted by rising prices (Photo: reproduction/Instants/ Getty Images Embed)}

Grains will suffer lesser consequences

Wheat, corn, rice and soybean grains will not see an immediate increase in prices due to the drought, since the harvest of these products in Brazil had already occurred. So far, the drought has had a less severe impact on crops. According to Conab, the regions affected by the intense drought will have stable grain production and should not feel a greater impact, with no impact on prices.

Featured Photo: Woman buying fruit at the supermarket (Reproduction: Fade Trade/ Getty Images Embed)