The cultivation of sorghum in Brazil is experiencing significant growth, with projections for the 2025/26 harvest indicating a 219% increase in production compared to five years ago. This surge is attributed to the crop's resistance to drought and the challenges presented by new pests affecting corn, alongside increasingly unpredictable climate conditions. As a result, more producers are turning to sorghum, which has traditionally been used mainly as feed for pigs and poultry but is now finding its way into beef cattle feeding operations and the ethanol industry.

Cícero Bezerra de Menezes, a researcher at Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, points out that in the past, sorghum producers had to chase buyers, but the current trend sees companies actively seeking out these producers to source the cereal. This shift in dynamics reflects a growing recognition of sorghum's value and potential in the agricultural market. However, researchers have set their sights on expanding the uses of sorghum beyond animal feed, aiming to include it in human diets as well as for pets, which are already consuming sorghum, but with limited data on its usage.

For human consumption, there is a need to develop a specific variety of sorghum that includes tannins, which differs from the sorghum typically grown for animal feed. This new focus could open up significant opportunities for incorporating sorghum into various food products, thereby diversifying agricultural output and potentially improving food security in Brazil. As the agricultural landscape evolves, the advancements in sorghum cultivation and its expanding market applications may lead to broader economic and health benefits for both producers and consumers in Brazil.