Productivity and economic viability of soybean cultivation in Different sources of potassium in the central-western Region of the Brazil

Abstract

Objective to analyze the economic viability of soybean crop in the 2022/23 harvest, focusing on the application of different sources of potassium (K). Using two sources of potassium, KCL and BAKS, they were used in rainfed areas. The soybean cultivar chosen was Soytec 700i2x, planted with a spacing of 0.5 meters between rows. Thus, the economic evaluation covered the analysis of effective operating costs (COE) and other operating costs, such as Funrural, opportunity cost of the land and unforeseen expenses. The concept of Effective Operating Cost (COE), defined as the sum of the effective expenses incurred by the producer to produce the crop, and the Total Cost (TC), which includes the COE and other operating expenses, was applied. The results indicated that the use of KCL in pre-planting provided the best production, but a higher gross revenue, highlighting the importance of considering the balance between the initial investment and the financial return when making decisions about the soybean crop. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of proper resource management and careful analysis of costs and benefits in agriculture, aiming to maximize the profitability and sustainability of soybean crops.