SAO PAULO, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Sales of Brazil's 2011/12 soybean crop rose to 55 percent of the total expected production of 72 million tonnes, up from 53 percent a week earlier, analysts Celeres said on Monday.
Harvest is picking up across the main center-west and southern soy belts, where rain has been less than optimal this year and will keep the world's No. 2 soybean producer from surpassing last year's record harvest.
Celeres said harvest has reached 29 percent of the crop area by February 24, up from 19 percent in the week prior. Last year at this time, 19 percent of the crop had been collected. The No.1 soybean state Mato Grosso, No. 2 soy state Parana and No. 4
soy state Goias were the most advanced in harvest.
The south is due to get rain this week that should help parched crops that are still developing but will not reverse losses already caused by the drought in the region since November. Wet center-west producers should see relief from incessant rains that will favor harvest work.
Brazil is the world's second biggest soybean producer after the United States and is expected to surpass it to become the largest exporter of the oilseed this year for the first time since 2005/06.
Harvest is picking up across the main center-west and southern soy belts, where rain has been less than optimal this year and will keep the world's No. 2 soybean producer from surpassing last year's record harvest.
Celeres said harvest has reached 29 percent of the crop area by February 24, up from 19 percent in the week prior. Last year at this time, 19 percent of the crop had been collected. The No.1 soybean state Mato Grosso, No. 2 soy state Parana and No. 4
soy state Goias were the most advanced in harvest.
The south is due to get rain this week that should help parched crops that are still developing but will not reverse losses already caused by the drought in the region since November. Wet center-west producers should see relief from incessant rains that will favor harvest work.
Brazil is the world's second biggest soybean producer after the United States and is expected to surpass it to become the largest exporter of the oilseed this year for the first time since 2005/06.
