A boy plants onions, in Teresopolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 21, 2011. (Xinhua/Agencia Estado)
The projected harvest, including primarily soybean and corn, represents a 4 percent increase compared to the previous year, or an additional 9.7 million tons.
BRASILIA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Brazil has forecast a record grains harvest of 251.8 million tons in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the state-run National Supply Company (Conab) said on Thursday.
The projected harvest, including primarily soybean and corn, represents a 4 percent increase compared to the previous year, or an additional 9.7 million tons.
Soybeans, Brazil's main agricultural export, should yield 122.1 million tons, or 6.1 percent more than last year.
Corn is expected to yield 101.9 million tons, more or less the same yield as last year.
"The COVID-19 pandemic the world is facing has not affected the progress of Brazil's harvest," Conab said in a report.
"Farmers are continuing their activities normally, with the adoption of measures recommended by the Health Ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO)," said Conab.
Apart from soybean and corn, other crops are expected to see increases in yields, including cotton, rice and beans.
The cotton harvest is forecast to reach 2.88 million tons, thanks to major investment in the sector and an increase in land assigned to the crop.
Rice is estimated to yield 10.6 million tons, and beans, 1.07 million tons in the first harvest and 1.33 million tons in the second. ■
