The objective of this manuscript is to understand better the nature of agricultural growth and productivity under a new tropical system of production, safrinha or succession cropping, which results in two large crops per year. The subject provides scholars and policymakers a technical foundation by which to think about the potential for market moving agricultural expansion and greater grain supplies originating from the tropics. Our results show that commercial tropical grain producers continue to rely on input intensification, principally chemicals, and extensification of their land base, and relatively low levels of technology, to increase grain production.