Stories for August 2012

Friday, August 10th 2012 - 08:49 UTC
Brazil bumper crop of corn estimated at 71.5 million tons

Brazil will reap a record grain harvest of 163.3 million tons this year, a gain of two per cent over 2011, the IBGE statistics agency says. The IBGE's latest forecast, based on July data is 1.6% higher than the previous projection.
Friday, August 10th 2012 - 08:41 UTC
Short of soy Brazil meat producers want to import from Bolivia

Meat producers in Brazil's Mato Grosso do Sul state are lobbying the government to approve soy imports from neighbouring Bolivia after drought shrank supplies in the world's second grower, a state official and analysts.
Friday, August 10th 2012 - 08:35 UTC
Booming agriculture sees crop land prices in Brazil soar 18% in the past year

Prices of Brazilian crop land have soared 18% in the past year, to judge by data from one of the country's biggest agricultural groups, which revealed plans to take sowings nearly to 300,000 hectares, according to Agrimoney.com.
Friday, August 10th 2012 - 08:27 UTC
Toyota opens third plant in Brazil and announces engine plant

Toyota from Japan has inaugurated its third plant in Brazil that aims to produce 70,000 cars a year. The facility, located 90 kilometres west of Sao Paulo in Sorocaba, will begin producing Etios compact cars next month, with engines imported from Japan.
Friday, August 10th 2012 - 07:57 UTC
Brazil votes affirmative action for blacks and minorities in federal universities

The Brazilian Senate has approved an affirmative action bill that reserves half the spots in federal universities for high school graduates of public schools, and distributes them according to the racial makeup of each state.
Friday, August 10th 2012 - 07:49 UTC
Brazil reminds Paraguay that Itaipu power is jointly shared and managed

Brazil reminded Paraguay it can use the power it needs from the giant Itaipu hydro but there is a contract which regulates how to manage the surplus. A day earlier president Federico Franco said that Paraguay would not “yield” any more electricity to Brazil.
Friday, August 10th 2012 - 07:35 UTC
FAO warns countries against a repeat of the 2007/08 food prices crisis

The world could face a food crisis of the kind seen in 2007/08 if countries restrict exports on concerns about a drought-fuelled grain price rally, the UN food agency FAO warned, after reporting a surge in global food prices in July.
Friday, August 10th 2012 - 07:21 UTC
Argentine private agencies July inflation 1.76% and 24.13% in twelve months

Argentine opposition lawmakers presented on Thursday July’s inflation index based in the analysis of nine private agencies, which showed a 1.76% increase against the previous month and doubles the official index from the government of President Cristina Fernandez.
Friday, August 10th 2012 - 07:16 UTC
Volcanic pumice mass, size of Belgium floating off the coast of New Zealand

A mass of small volcanic rocks nearly the size of Belgium has been discovered floating off the coast of New Zealand, reports the Auckland media. The stretch of golf-ball-size pumice rocks was first spotted this week by a New Zealand air force plane about 1,000 kilometres northwest of Auckland.
Friday, August 10th 2012 - 07:03 UTC
Falklands, an “excellent investment destination” for the oil industry

The Falkland Islands Government has welcomed the news of a farm-in agreement between Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd and US based Noble Energy which was announced on Monday and confirms the Falklands as an “excellent investment destination”.