Recife - Five thousand farmers in 110 municipalities of the state of Pernambuco, in Northeastern Brazil, will be benefited by a program to stimulate the production of grain sorghum. The idea is to expand cultivation, ensuring at the same time the application of advanced technology in technical assistance and rural extension, in order to generate more jobs and income and provide better conditions to compete on the market.

The Ministry of Agrarian Development will offer US$ 9.26 million (R$ 28 million) in rural credit to use for the program, with the goal of increasing the area under cultivation to 50 thousand hectares by 2005.

According to the State Secretary of Rural Production, Gabriel Maciel, sorghum can replace up to 50% of the corn utilized as feed and in food mixtures by the poultry sector. He explained that greater productivity and resistance to pests and drought are among the advantages of sorghum in relation to corn.

"Sorghum is an energetic cereal with characteristics similar to corn and easily adapted to the hot climate of the Northeast, where it is grown in the states of Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Bahia, and Ceará," he informed.

In human alimentation it is used in typical regional dishes, such as couscous, popcorn, cornmeal mush, and corn dodgers. Sorghum meal is also used to make cookies, pasta, and bread.

Data from the Rural Extension Directory of the Pernambucan Agricultural Research Company (IPA) indicate that the sorghum harvest in the state should amount to 12 thousand tons. Farmers who invest in sorghum will receive guarantees from the National Supply Company (Conab) and the Pernambucan Poultry Association to buy 40% and 30%, respectively, of all they produce.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Márcia Wonghon
Translator: David Silberstein
08/16/2004