Brazil raised estimates for both its corn and soybean harvests, citing rains which had come in time to boost yields of later planted crops, besides boosting expectations for safrinha corn. The official Conab crop bureau lifted by 1.0m tons to 94.3m tons its estimate for Brazil's soybean production in 2014-15, as late rainfall helped results “surprise positively” in particular in central areas.
Argentine farmers have stockpiled more than twice as many soybeans this year than in 2014 defying a government desperate to increase export tax revenue needed to finance rising state spending ahead of the October presidential election.
World soybean production will fall next season for the first time in four years, undermined by a drop in US output, although the fall may not prove sufficient to support prices, Oil World said. However in South America, Argentina and Paraguay could be heading for new record crops.
Argentine farmers exported more than 300 million dollars worth of grains and oilseeds in the last two days of 2014 to help bring in much needed cash for the nation’s central bank. The situation was boosted by an agreement reached between farmers and the Argentine government regarding foreign currency payment for the grains and oilseed.
The 2014-2015 season’s soybean and wheat crops are on track to set records, while rice and corn look poised to be more in line with last season’s record crops, according to the International Grains Council's September Grain Market Report.
Landlocked Paraguay has become the new 'soybean king' with a harvest of over 9 million tons, a new record, 13% compared to the previous crop, according to the figures released by the Paraguayan Chamber of Grains and Oilseeds Exporters, Capeco.
Chinese buyers may default on a further 1.2 million tons of soybeans worth about 900 million dollars being shipped from the United States and South America, to avoid incurring huge losses in a depressed local market, the country’s top soy buyer said.
Argentina's crop of soybeans and cereals, and the country's main source of hard currency is threatened by the last few days storms of pouring rainfall, flash floods and mud slides that have punished at least seven provinces. Argentina is one of the world's main suppliers of grains.
Brazil's Congress struck down this week a proposal to impose new taxes on the internal soy market after fierce opposition from the country's agricultural sector. An amendment to apply a tax known as PIS/Cofins on soybean sales to some domestic buyers had been removed from a bill to simplify taxation of Brazilian companies abroad that was passed by the lower chamber late on Tuesday.
Brazil's economic output grew 2.3% in 2013 for a third straight year of modest expansion by Latin America's biggest economy, the government announced on Thursday. GDP for the final quarter of the year rose a 0.7% compared to the third quarter, according to Brazil's Institute for Geography and Statistics, IBGE.