SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – Adverse weather in several key production regions has led Brazil’s federal crop agency, Conab, to revise downward its forecast for the country’s 2017-18 corn crop.
In a report released on Aug. 9, Conab said Brazil will produce 82.18 million tonnes of corn in 2017-18, down from the agency’s July estimate of 82.93 million tonnes.
The estimate is significantly lower than the record 97.84 million tonnes harvested in 2016-17.
The second corn crop of the season, known as “safrinha,” is projected at 55.34 million tonnes, down from 56.02 million tonnes estimated in July and 67.38 million tonnes in 2016-17.
Corn exports from the current crop is forecast at 30 million tonnes, unchanged from Conab’s July reports. Brazil exported 30.83 million tonnes of corn in 2016-17.
Brazil is the world’s No. 3 corn producer behind the U.S. and China.