Rural credit declines and increases attention on the 2026/27 harvest

The reduction of rural credit in Brazil begins to introduce a new factor of attention in agricultural production planning. Data analyzed by the Federation of Agriculture of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Farsul) indicate that the area financed by rural credit in the country fell by 25.8% in 12 months, from 34.2 million hectares in July 2025 to 25.4 million hectares in July 2026.

The scenario is concerning because rural credit plays a strategic role in agricultural activity. Financing is used to cover production costs, acquire inputs, make investments, modernize structures, and maintain the necessary financial flow for the development of crops.

Less credit, more pressure on planning

The contraction in financing occurs at a time of greater pressure on costs and the profitability of agricultural activity. Among the factors contributing to this scenario are high interest rates, increased delinquency, production costs, and the climatic risks faced by the sector.

According to Farsul's analysis, the proportion of the Brazilian rural credit portfolio in a situation of delinquency, delay, extension, or renegotiation rose from 11.8% in July 2024 to 23.5% in July 2026. In Rio Grande do Sul, the index reached 41.3% in the same period.

This environment tends to make financial institutions more selective in granting resources. For rural producers, this means that financial planning and investment assessment become even more important.

Rural credit and the challenges of the 2026/27 harvest

The effects of reduced financing may not immediately appear in economic indicators. This is because some decisions related to agricultural production are made months before the harvest.

The concern lies specifically with the 2026/27 harvest. With less availability of credit, producers may delay investments, reduce financed areas, or seek alternatives to decrease the necessary expenditure for production.

At the same time, the scenario does not represent an interruption of agricultural financing. In the first two months of the 2026/27 harvest, from July to August 2026, corporate agriculture contracted R$ 65.7 billion in rural credit operations, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. Rural Product Notes (CPRs) accounted for 49.2% of this total.

This data demonstrates a transformation in the composition of financing sources. Although bank credit remains relevant, instruments linked to the private market have also gained space in the financing structure of agribusiness.

Efficiency becomes even more important

In a scenario of greater selectivity in credit, each investment decision carries weight. The producer needs to evaluate not only the cost of an operation but also the potential return on the resources applied.

In this context, the efficiency of inputs used in the field gains relevance. Fertilizers, for example, represent an important part of production planning and need to be considered within a strategy that seeks a balance between investment, productivity, and nutrient utilization.

The search for solutions that contribute to the nutritional efficiency of plants is also related to a broader vision of sustainability. The goal shifts from merely producing more to involving a more rational use of available resources.

Credit, productivity, and more strategic decisions

The scenario of reduced financed area reinforces an important trend for agribusiness: the producer needs to make decisions increasingly based on planning, management, and efficiency.

The 2026/2027 Harvest Plan maintains rural credit as one of the main instruments of Brazilian agricultural policy. For corporate agriculture, R$ 525.1 billion is allocated for costs, marketing, and investments, aimed at different sector needs.

The new cycle also presents mechanisms to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices. Producers who meet certain environmental criteria and adopt good agricultural practices can obtain reductions in cost financing interest rates.

This shows that the discussion about rural credit goes beyond the amount of resources available. The way these resources are utilized and the ability to transform investment into productivity also gain importance.

The role of efficiency in agriculture

For Brazilian agriculture, the challenge of the next harvest will be to reconcile costs, resource availability, productivity, and profitability.

In this scenario, technologies, nutritional planning, and proper input selection can help the producer make better use of each resource employed in the field.

It is precisely at this point that solutions developed to unite agronomic efficiency and resource utilization gain traction. The use of organomineral fertilizers, for example, integrates organic matter and mineral nutrients in a management strategy that seeks to contribute to more efficient crop nutrition and the construction of a more sustainable production system.

For Agrion, keeping up with market transformations and the needs of producers is part of this process. The company works on developing solutions in organomineral fertilizers, aiming to combine technology, efficiency, and resource utilization to contribute to increasingly productive and sustainable agriculture.

In a scenario where credit becomes more selective and costs require more precise decisions, efficiency ceases to be merely a competitive advantage and becomes a necessity for the economic sustainability of production.

Reference

REVISTA CULTIVAR. Rural credit shrinks 26% in a year and raises alarm in the field. Revista Cultivar, Sep 10, 2026. Available at: Revista Cultivar. Accessed on: Sep 11, 2026.

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK. Rural credit for corporate agriculture totals R$ 65.7 billion in the first two months of the 2026/2027 harvest. Brasília, Sep 8, 2026. Available at: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. Accessed on: Sep 11, 2026.