Brazilian mining giant Companhia Vale do Rio Doce announced this week it agreed to supply 480 million tons of iron ore and pellets to ArcelorMittal the world's largest steel maker.

Brazil is forecasting for this year its greatest production of sugar cane ethanol ever according to the country's National Supply Company, Conab. The total volume is estimated between 26.4 and 27.4 billion liters, 14.9% and 19.4% higher than in 2007.

Brazil's Cosan the world's largest sugar and ethanol processor announced Friday it had agreed to buy more than 1.500 Brazilian service stations and other assets from Exxon Mobil (Esso Brazil) for 826 million US dollars.

Sao Paulo governor Jose Serra and one of Brazilian leaders tipped to dispute the presidency in 2010 warned about the possibility of an economic downturn when President Lula da Silva concludes his second mandate.
The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf dealt with the submission presented by Mexico, the ninth it has received so far. This was the twenty first session of the Commission and was held at UN headquarters from 17 March to 18 April.
Brazilian president Lula da Silva, currently visiting Ghana, blamed rising oil prices for the current global food crisis, saying that bio-fuels had nothing to do with the problem, as some have suggested. He insisted escalating oil prices are pushing up freight costs, which in turn affects world food prices.

Brazil expects to host representatives from 190 countries, including several world leaders for the International Conference on Bio-fuels which is scheduled for next November in Sao Paulo.

Petrobras, Brazil's government managed hydrocarbons corporation, increased oil and gas production an average 1.4% during March reaching 2,114,089 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe).

The Senator who leads the Brazilian delegation to the Mercosur Parliament announced this week he was resigning his post to protest the lack of consideration and disrespect Brazilian ministers have shown towards the organization.
Brazil's president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made an impassioned defense of bio-fuels rejecting that they are responsible for the recent rise in global food prices during the opening ceremony of a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, conference in Brasilia.