May 8, 2009
Brazil '08-09 corn seen 12.4-percent lower on-year
Brazil should produce 51.3 million tonnes of corn in 2008-09, the National Commodities Supply Corp., or Conab, said Thursday (May 7).
Total production is seen falling 12.4 percent from the 2007-08 season and slightly below Conab's April estimate of 51.9 million tonnes for 2008-09.
Brazil, which has two corn harvests per year, should produce 33.9 million tonnes from the first harvest and 17.4 million tonnes from the second, Conab said.
Areas in Parana, Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso do Sul states, in the south of Brazil, faced a fall in corn production from the first harvest due to prolonged hot, dry weather that hindered the development of the crop at the end of 2008, Conab said.
The second corn crop has also been hurt by dry weather in the same region, according to Conab.
