SAO PAULO, April 23 (Reuters) - Sales of Brazil's 2011/12 soybean crop rose to 75 percent of the total expected production of 67.9 million tonnes, up from 72 percent a week earlier, analysts Celeres said on Monday.
Harvest is days from ending across the main soy belt, where rain has been less than optimal this year and will keep the world's No. 2 soybean producer at least 7 million tonnes shy of last year's record harvest of 75 million tonnes.
Celeres said harvest has reached 93 percent of the crop area by April 20, up from 88 percent in the week prior. Last year at this time, 91 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 are finished with harvest.
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.
