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 Brazilian Conab (National Food Supply Company) released data this Thursday, November 8, hinting that Brazil in the 2007-2008 grain crop may once again break a record. Estimates point to a harvest of 135.5 million tons, 2.9% or 3.8 million tons more than in the previous crop.
Conab is optimistic due to the expansion in planted area, "driven by the products' good market prices," although weather in the months to come will be a determinant factor.
The highlights remain the same: soy, at an estimated production of 59.4 million tons, 1.7% more than the 58.4 million tons recorded in the last harvest; the first crop of corn, which should total 37.3 million tons, or 2% more than in the last crop; and cottonseed, at 2.5 million tons, a 5.5% increase.
The expectation for the first crop of bean has maintained its trend of a 6% decrease, and should total 1.47 million tons, due to the lack of rain and the low temperatures in producer states in the months of August and September, according to the Conab.
The estimated increase in planted area stood at 1.2% using the same basis for comparison. Total planted area should be 46.8 million hectares, against 46.2 million for the previous crop.
Soy remains the leading agricultural product, rising from 20.7 million to 21.2 million hectares due to resumption of planting in areas that had stopped being cultivated in the 2006-2007 harvest. Next up come the first crops of corn (from 9.5 million to 9.8 million hectares) and cotton (from 1.1 million to 1.2 million hectares).
The Conab field survey was conducted by 41 technicians from September 22nd to 26th. A total of 990 informants were interviewed in 330 municipalities, including representatives of cooperatives, public and private organizations, financial agents, and farmers in the states of the center-south region of Brazil, Piauí, Maranhão, Rondônia, Tocantins, and Bahia.
ABr
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