SAO PAULO, April 9 (Reuters) - Sales of Brazil's 2011/12 soybean crop rose to 70 percent of the total expected production of 67.9 million tonnes, up from 68 percent a week earlier, analysts at Celeres said on Monday.
The harvest is winding down 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 of 75.3 million tonnes.
surpassing last year's record harvest of 75.3 million tonnes.
Celeres said the harvest had reached 82 percent of the crop area by April 5, up from 76 percent in the week prior. Last year at this time, 77 percent of the crop had been collected. The No.
1 soybean state, Mato Grosso, has been finished harvesting for weeks.
1 soybean state, Mato Grosso, has been finished harvesting for weeks.
No. 2 soy state Parana is nearly finished the harvest with 97 percent of its soybean brought in. No. 4 soy state Goias also recently finished with the harvest.
This week No. 3 soybean state Rio Grande do Sul is due to get rain that could slow the harvest. The water will be much too late to help the crop, which is 43 percent harvested. The state has been very dry since November and has lost a large share of its productive potential, which reached a record 11.6 million tonnes last season.
Brazil is the world's second-largest 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.
