August 4, 2004

Brazil Soy Production For 2004/05 Projected To Rise
 

Brazil soybean production for 2004-05 is projected to increase by 25.8 percent from 2003-04, according to new estimates from the Brazilian analytical firm Celeres.

That would mean a total production of 68.63 million metric tons, compared to 51 million tons in 2003/04, said Anderson Gomes, director of research at Celeres and a contributing analyst for DTN.

Celeres is projecting planted area at 22,897 thousand hectares (59.58 million acres), or 7.6 percent more than the previous year. Yields are forecast at 2.802 metric tons per hectare, assuming trend yields.

By comparison, USDA's latest projections for the 2004/05 Brazil soybean crop are at 66 million tons on a planted area of 23,500 thousand hectares, with a yield of 2.810 metric tons per hectare. USDA's current projections for the U.S. crop are at 80.01 million metric tons, with yields of 2.68 tons per hectare.