FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 02/99 - BRAZIL (22 February)
Harvesting of the 1998 wheat crop has been recently completed and output is provisionally estimated at 2.2 million tonnes, 9 percent below last year’s average crop. This is largely the result of dry weather conditions at planting in the main growing states of Parana and Rio Grande do Sul and untimely rains at harvesting which contributed to lower than expected yields. The recent rains in these states, where the bulk of the maize crop is grown, have benefited, by contrast, the development of the 1999 crop which had been affected by dry weather at planting in November. Harvesting has only started and production is expected to increase from last year when the crops were severely affected, particularly in the north- east, by El Niño-related extremely dry weather. Early forecasts indicate a maize output of about 33.3 million tonnes compared to last year’s low 30 million tonnes. Harvesting of the paddy crop has also only started and output is provisionally forecast to increase from last year’s El Niño affected crop of 8.5 million tonnes to 10.6 million tonnes. Farmers were prompted to increase plantings due to attractive prices caused by last year’s scarce supplies.
Back
to menu