July 1, 2005

Brazil's 2004 grain harvest fell 3.65 percent from 2003
 

Brazil's Census Bureau, or IBGE, reported that domestic grain harvest last year reached 120.5 million tonnes, down 3.65 percent compared with 2003.

According to the IBGE, the weather, especially the recent severe drought in southern Brazil, was the main cause of the smaller harvest.

Corn production registered the biggest fall of 13.5 percent, while soy production was down 4.6 percent although planted soy area had actually risen over 16 percent. With corn and soy comprising three-quarters of Brazilian grain production last year, the drop was unavoidable, said the IBGE.