TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF CORN PRODUCTION IN PÃO DE AÇÚCAR, ALAGOAS, BRAZIL

Abstract

Corn (Zea mays L.) is one of the main crops produced in the semiarid region of Brazil, with multiple uses and an important constituent of human and animal food in this region. However, its cultivation is carried out mostly under rainfed conditions, which makes the production of this cereal extremely dependent on the occurrence of rainfall in adequate amounts and distribution. In this sense, this study aimed to analyze the dynamics of corn production in the municipality of Pão de Açúcar, semi-arid region of Alagoas, in the period 2000-2020. The data used were extracted from the IBGE's Municipal Agricultural Production information bank, using the Automatic Recovery System (SIDRA). Data were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed great annual variability in corn production, reflected in strong fluctuations in the variables analyzed. Low yields and low quantities produced of this crop were observed, as well as discrepancies between the planted area and the harvested area. The PCA showed a strong association between the value of production, quantity produced, harvested area and planted area. Also, the years under monitoring were grouped into three clusters with different production characteristics. Given the importance of corn cultivation for Pão de Açúcar, actions are needed to locally strengthen the production of this cereal.