Brazilian 2017/18 soy production to hit new record of 119m mt: Agrural

The Brazilian soybean crop is expected to hit 119 million mt on higher than expected yields in most producing states, beating last year’s record harvest, Agrural told Agricensus.

The forecast is up from Agrural's view last month of 117.9 million mt and from last year’s record harvest of 114.4 million mt.

The higher production is based on a planted area of 34.7 million hectares with an average yield of 3.4 mt/ha.

“All numbers are new records for the country,” Agrural told Agricensus by email.

The highest yield is expected in Mato Grosso do Sul at 3.73 mt/ha, a state-record, with all other states, excluding Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, Roraima and Amapá, also set to reach new records.

Corn estimated at 89.8m mt

Agrural's corn forecast was mixed, as it lifted the first crop by 300,000 mt to 26.2 million mt, while it trimmed 400,000 mt from its second crop estimate to 63.6 million mt, as planted area was reduced.

Total 2017/18 corn production is expected at 89.8 million, just under last month’s view of 89.9 million mt and below last year’s crop of 97.8 million mt.