São Paulo – The world grain crop for this season is estimated at 2.24 billion tonnes, growth of 4.9% compared with the last crop, which totalled 2.12 billion tonnes. Brazil answers to 6.2% of that production, with 137 million tonnes. The figures were disclosed yesterday (12) by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The organisation also disclosed the grain survey for the country, estimated at 400.6 million tonnes.
Among the leading types of grain, wheat production should grow by 11.9%, soy output should rise by 5.6%, rise should increase by 1,8%, and maize production should decrease by 0.06%. Global inventories of rice, maize, soy and wheat remain at levels similar to those of five years ago.
"The forecasts of the USDA point to a relative recovery of the stock-to-consumption ratio for these products in 2009," said the general manager of Strategic Planning at the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, José Garcia Gasques, in a release issued by the press office at the Ministry. According to Gasques, the Brazilian participation is most expressive in soy production, and the country should answer to 25.2% of total output, i.e., 58 million tonnes. The first position is occupied by the United States, with 34.5%, the equivalent to 80.5 million tonnes.
The crop survey is held on a monthly basis, and subjects include banks, cooperatives, farmers, market agents and representatives of input manufacturers in Canada, Mexico, the United States, the European Union (EU-27), Russia, Ukraine, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, South Africa and Turkey, among others. The main products surveyed are wheat, maize, rice, cotton, soy, feed grains (oats, rye, sorghum and barley) and oleaginous seeds (soy and peanut).
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
