Maize grain supply and demand for the animal protein chain in the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

ABSTRACT: The animal production system has been affected in the Rio Grande do Sul State by low maize production, mainly non-ruminants. The total demand is not well known and official data are inaccurate and underestimated. This research characterized and analyzed the maize grain demand and supply for animal feed in the last 15 years at the Rio Grande do Sul State. The state supply was obtained from governmental harvests measurement. The demand was obtained by the total animals (swine, poultry and dairy and beef cattle), while the total state demand was obtained using the relative national consumption from these segments in relation to the total. The current maize grain demand was at the order of 6 million tons for the feeding of swine, poultry and cattle, while total demand was between 9 to 12 million tons in the Rio Grande do Sul State. The state maize production supplied near half of the total demand for the animal protein chain, characterizing a significant deficit for this sector, providing instability and making this productive chain economically unfeasible in the state.