October 21, 2024

Climate imbalance from deforestation costs Amazon soy and corn production US$1.03 billion

Deforestation in the Amazon has led to significant climate imbalance, resulting in a US$1.03 billion loss in soy and corn production between 2006 and 2019, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, Folha De S Paulo reported.

The study reveals that, on average, these losses amounted to US$73 million annually.

The researchers examined how deforestation has affected the region's climate and discovered a delay in the onset of the rainy season, a reduction in annual rainfall, and rising temperatures since 1980. These climatic changes have directly impacted crop cycles.

Due to these shifts, the planting of soybeans is delayed, leaving insufficient time for the second corn crop, typically grown after the soy harvest, to reach full maturity.

The study was funded by Rainforest Foundation Norway, though it has not yet undergone peer review.

In August, Folha visited four farms in Paragominas, Pará, where farm owners reported production losses due to drought or excessive rainfall. Despite these issues, the farmers did not attribute the changes in climate to deforestation of the Amazon biome.

-      Folha De S Paulo