Brazil on track for record grain harvest
Thursday, 11 March 2010
BRASILIA, March 10 (AFP): Brazil is on track to reap a record grain harvest this year, including a big increase in soybean production, the government said yesterday.
The Institute of Geography and Statistics projected the country's soybean harvest at 66.9 million tons, up 17.4 per cent over last year, and corn at 52.4 million tons, up 2.6 per cent.
If the projections are realised, the Brazilian grain harvest would be up 8.5 per cent over 2009, and a percentage point higher than the 2008 harvest, the biggest in the country's history.
Coffee production was projected to reach 2.8 million tons this year, up 14.4 per cent over last year, the government said.
The agriculture ministry said the booming harvests were due to "good productivity and stable rainfall in the biggest producing areas."
The Institute of Geography and Statistics projected the country's soybean harvest at 66.9 million tons, up 17.4 per cent over last year, and corn at 52.4 million tons, up 2.6 per cent.
If the projections are realised, the Brazilian grain harvest would be up 8.5 per cent over 2009, and a percentage point higher than the 2008 harvest, the biggest in the country's history.
Coffee production was projected to reach 2.8 million tons this year, up 14.4 per cent over last year, the government said.
The agriculture ministry said the booming harvests were due to "good productivity and stable rainfall in the biggest producing areas."