Brazil’s second corn crop lost at least 700,000 metric tons to fall armyworm infestations, as the pest spreads sharply across key producing regions despite heavier spending on crop protection, according to consultancy Agroconsult.
The estimate reflects only lost production from damage to corn ears. Farmers’ financial losses are even greater once spending on pest control is taken into account, André Debastiani, a managing partner at Agroconsult, told reporters on Thursday.
The direct losses amount to less than 1% of Brazil’s second-crop, or safrinha, harvest, which Agroconsult pegged at 115.7 million tons. Still, the volume highlights the growing impact of the pest on the country’s corn fields.
The consultancy found a sharp increase in the prevalence of fall armyworm during the latest crop cycle. In western Mato Grosso, the share of fields affected rose to 56% in the 2025/26 safrinha from 44% a year earlier. In southeastern Mato Grosso, the figure climbed to 59% from 35%.
The increase was even steeper in Goiás, where infestations expanded to 74% of fields from 35% a year earlier.
“That is happening even as farmers are making up to four insecticide applications and investing in pest-resistant seed varieties,” Debastiani said. “The trend reinforces the need for integrated pest management.”
He attributed the increase to a combination of factors, including weather conditions that have favored pest pressure and the need to refine crop management practices.
“It has become clear that biotechnology alone is not enough,” Debastiani said. “There is no silver bullet. Effective control comes from combining different management strategies.”
Tighter Margins
Brazil harvested 115.8 million tons of second-crop corn in the 2025/26 season, down more than 7% from a year earlier but above Agroconsult’s initial forecast, reflecting stronger-than-expected yields in Mato Grosso.
Even with the relatively modest decline in output, farmers faced significantly tighter margins. Production costs for this year’s safrinha were about 6% higher than in the previous season, according to Agroconsult.
“In the mid-northern region of Mato Grosso, margins declined by roughly 20% compared with the previous crop”, Debastiani said, citing persistently weak corn prices and elevated interest rates.
The region was one of the few in Brazil to post higher yields than last year, underscoring the financial pressure facing growers despite solid productivity.
Other producing states, including Goiás and Paraná, recorded significant declines in yields, further squeezing farm income.
“In Paraná, margins are expected to fall by around 40%,” said Adriano Loturco, Agroconsult’s consulting manager for the grains market.
This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence
