Brazil's December soy exports hurt by US bumper harvest 

Brazil's soy exports plummeted to 203,100 tonnes in December 2009 from 750,400 tonnes in December 2008.

The statistics was released by the Foreign Trade Ministry earlier this week.

Brazil's soy exports plunged in December after strong trade earlier this year. Most soy export trade in December was centred on the US bumper soy crop as Brazil was in its inter-harvest period.

The soy trade brought in US$99 million to Brazil in December, compared with US$332.3 million in December 2008.

Brazil in December also shipped 678,000 tonnes of soymeal, compared with 782,800 tonnes in December 2008.