Cotton puts Sapezal ahead, but Bahia keeps the soybean edge

Cotton puts Sapezal ahead, but Bahia keeps the soybean edge
Sapezal, in western Mato Grosso, led Brazil in agricultural production value in the 2025 Municipal Agricultural Survey, reaching R$8.6 billion. The result put it narrowly ahead of São Desidério, Bahia, at R$8.22 billion, and Sorriso, Mato Grosso, at R$8.16 billion.

The Mato Grosso municipality’s advantage was driven chiefly by upland cotton, which generated R$5.12 billion — almost 60% of Sapezal’s agricultural value — after a 42.8% increase. Soybeans added R$2.8 billion, rising 51.4% over the year. Local farm representatives portray cotton as an increasingly attractive option not only for large established operations but also for smaller and medium-sized producers. Diego José Dal’Maso, president of Sapezal’s rural union, said cotton’s gross revenue per hectare is “more than double the gross revenue of a soybean crop,” and far higher than corn’s.

That financial appeal does not erase the constraints of distance. Dal’Maso said the reference market price is not what producers ultimately receive because sales in Sapezal must absorb freight to export ports: “the producer receives less.” The account underscores a contrast between strong farm-gate production value and the logistical costs that shape final returns.

Bahia offers a different measure of agricultural strength. São Desidério ranked second by total value but was the country’s largest soybean producer by volume in the 2024 survey, harvesting 2.09 million tonnes and edging Sorriso. Its local agriculture secretary, Filipe Gusmão Oliveira, attributed performance to technology, high-yield seeds, modern machinery and professional management.

Together, the rankings show cotton lifting Sapezal to the top while soybeans sustain western Bahia’s prominence. Mato Grosso still had 10 municipalities among Brazil’s 20 largest by production value, but Bahia placed four, including São Desidério and Formosa do Rio Preto. National agricultural production value reached a record R$927.2 billion in 2025, according to the survey.

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