Reading Time: 2 minutes Luis Eduardo Magalhaes, Brazil | Reuters –– Farmers tending vast, flat soy and cotton fields that spread as far as the eye can see in northeastern Brazil are finding that coffee crops might provide higher profits in the country’s agricultural frontier. More coffee farms are being developed in the western part of Bahia state, which […] Read more
Coffee may profit more than soy in Brazil’s new farming frontier
Brazil farm minister heads to U.S. over fresh beef ban
Reading Time: 2 minutes Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s agriculture minister prepared to travel to the U.S. on Friday to fight a ban on imports of fresh Brazilian beef, which hit shares of local meatpackers and revived concerns about the image of the world’s largest beef exporter. “We will fight for this market!” said the minister, billionaire soy […] Read more
JBS scandal might reduce Brazil meat supplies, industry group says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Sao Paulo/Cuiaba | Reuters — An unfolding corruption scandal involving meatpacker JBS SA may reduce meat supply in Brazil, potentially benefiting rivals of the world’s largest beef exporter, industry group Abrafrigo said. Since the scandal broke, JBS and ranchers have been at odds, with the company deciding to stop buying cattle for cash and producers […] Read more
Exporters fear Brazil agents’ strike could hurt corn exports
Reading Time: 2 minutes Sao Paulo | Reuters — A strike by Brazilian federal agricultural agents responsible for approving certificates required for shipments could affect Brazil’s corn exports, the director of the cereal exporters association Anec Sergio Mendes said Friday. Mendes said the strike that started on Thursday was “the worst thing that could happen” to grain exports, though […] Read more
Brazil food safety agents start open-ended strike at ports
Reading Time: 2 minutes Food safety inspectors responsible for clearing agricultural goods at Brazilian ports went on an open-ended strike Friday morning, saying there was political mismanagement and businesses were meddling in their agency. Wilson Roberto de Sa, president of federal food safety inspectors union ANFFA, said more than 80 per cent of the agents who clear all of […] Read more
Brazil faces prolonged regional wheat shortage after frosts
Reading Time: 2 minutes Several days of frost this week over Brazil’s southern wheat belt has destroyed as much as 5 per cent of the national crop and will prolong the shortage of the grain on the regional market where prices are in record territory, the local flour milling industry association said on Friday. Board Chairman Marcelo Vosnika of […] Read more
Brazil may import more N. American wheat after frosts
Reading Time: 3 minutes Frost that hit the wheat crop in Brazil’s leading producer state Parana this week will likely force the country to import more than the 2 million tonnes of wheat it has bought from North America, even with tariffs, Brazilian buyers said. Local meteorologists Somar and Simepar reported multiple days of frost over the heart of […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
