By Ryan Hanrahan
Reuters’ Ana Mano reported that “Brazilian farmers will produce a record 123.3 million metric tons of second corn, agribusiness consultancy Agroconsult said on Tuesday after surveying fields in key producing regions nationwide.”
“Second corn, which Brazilian farmers are harvesting now, will account for about 80% of national output this year. It is mainly exported in the second half, competing with U.S. corn suppliers on global markets,” Mano reported. “Brazil is reaping ‘the mother of all safrinhas,’ Andre Pessoa, head of Agroconsult, told a press conference, referring to second corn, which is planted after soy is harvested in the same areas.”
“Good weather conditions, particularly abundant rains throughout April and May, helped yields in many key growing states, Agroconsult said,” according to Mano’s reporting. “The new forecast represents an increase of 10.4 million tons over a May estimate by Agroconsult, and is 20.2 million tons above last season’s output, the consultancy said. In Mato Grosso, Brazil’s biggest farm state, the average yield stood at 131.9 bags per hectare, up almost 12% from the previous year, according to Agronconsult data.”