030401

Brazil soya harvest seen drier

SAO PAULO: After rains push through Brazil's southern soya belt by mid-week, a dry air mass should settle over the productive regions there allowing uninterrupted harvest well into April, local meteorologist Somar said on Monday.

Center-west farms should experience alternating days of sun and rain this week that should not interrupt the pace of harvest there, although the beans may have slightly higher moisture content, said Somar in a daily soya weather bulletin.

No rain fell over the top three soya states over the weekend, allowing farmers to make up any regional delays in harvesting due to isolated shower activity.

In its third annual forecast in February, the government raised its forecast for Brazil's new soyabean crop to a record 49.6 million tonnes, from 47.6 million tonnes in December. The crop is seen 18 percent higher than last season's 41.9 million tonnes.

The US Department of Agriculture put the crop at 51 million tonnes.-Reuters