MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Record 2007/08 harvest in Brazil, 143.8 million tons

Brazil confirmed that the 2007/08 was the greatest grain and oilseed crop ever, 143.8 million tons. The Ministry of Agriculture said it was 9.2% above the previous season and could further increase when the final volumes of the northeast second corn harvest are completed.

Corn actually was one of the stars of this harvest having increased 14% totaling 58.6 million tons. However, wheat was even more impressive, up 42% to 5.4 million tons but still insufficient for domestic consumption which has as suppliers Argentina, United States, Canada and Paraguay. The soy bean crop increased a modest 2.8% to 60.5 million tons. Total export volumes are estimated to reach 52.17 million tons. Beans which is staple of the Brazilian diet was up 6.1% to 3.5 million tons and rice 7% totaling 12.1 million tons. The total area planted reached 47.4 million hectares compared to the 46.2 million of the previous farm year. Soy beans cover 21.3 million hectares and corn another 14.7 million. Most of the arable land, 79%, is concentrated in the south and center of Brazil. The main states are Parana, Matto Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul and Goias. "This is the result of the enterprise spirit of Brazilian farmers and the support policy from government consistent with steady increases in production", said Wagner Rossi, president of the country's Supply Coporation. He added that 70% is family farming. However Brazil has also become a world power in beef with annual exports of five billion US dollars, which means "one out of three tons of beef consumed in the world comes from Brazil". While this happens in Brazil with a sustained annual growth, in Argentina the 2007/08 farm year will yield 94.2 million tons of grains and oil seeds which is only 0.7% over the previous season.