Brazil first '09-10 corn estimate 50.9-52.2 million tonnes

Brazil's new 2009-10 corn crop is expected to produce between 50.9 million tonnes and 52.2 million tonnes, the National Commodities Supply Corp., or Conab, said Wednesday (Oct 7).

Total production in the 2008-09 season was 50.9 million tonnes, the government agency said.

Brazil, which has two corn harvests per year, is expected to produce between 32.8 million tonnes and 34 million tonnes from the first harvest, Conab said.

The crop has seen a fall in production as farmers switched to plant more soy as a result of lower corn prices, according to Conab.