May 13, 2009
Brazil harvests 96 percent of soy crop as of May
Brazil's soy farmers have completed 96 percent of the Brazilian soy harvest as of May 8, according to agricultural consultancy Celeres.
Celeres said the soy harvest as of May 8 was up from 93 percent on April 30 and slightly down from the five-year average of 97 percent.
Brazil's two main soy states, Mato Grosso and Parana, have completed their soy harvests while Rio Grande do Sul, the No. 3 soy-producing state, should finalise its harvest in one to three weeks, Leonardo Menezes, an analyst at agricultural consultancy Celeres, said Tuesday (May 12).
Rio Grande do Sul, which is usually one of the last states to begin harvesting, has harvested 95 percent of its beans versus 88 percent on April 30.
The overall harvest has kept a similar pace to last year, Menezes said.
Brazilian producers have sold 61 percent of their soy as of May 8 compared to 58 percent the week before and a five-year average of 66 percent, according to Celeres.
Brazil is the world's No. 2 soy producer, behind the US.
