. Earth Science News .




.
CLIMATE SCIENCE
Drought spreads to Brazil, crop yields hit
by Staff Writers
Sao Paulo (UPI) Mar 20, 2012

disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

Drought has spread from Argentina and Paraguay to Brazil and is hitting soy yields at a time of concerns that regional economic growth may suffer as pressures mount on commodity prices.

Argentine yields of soy were affected by drought and labor disputes in that country are making farmers and grain traders jittery. Drought caused widespread economic dislocation in Paraguay, which was also hit by cattle disease.

Analysts said drought-related developments in Brazil had led to lower yield estimates, slicing about 2.8 million tons off an original estimate of 67.1 million tons for this year's harvest. The revised estimates are subject to further review, said the analysts.

Soy oil has gained importance in the energy market as a feedstock for the booming international biofuels sector.

Soy produced by Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay accounts for about half the world's soy exports. Although current worries have caused spikes in prices and buoyed futures trade in Chicago, Latin America and elsewhere, underlying worries over the eurozone crisis and an economic slowdown in China continue to cloud the outlook.

Some analysts predicted a 10 million ton shortfall in Brazil's soy crop when compared with last year.

Brazilian traders watched with anxiety the growing labor disputes at Argentina ports that idled grain export terminals and threatened to put further pressure on global prices for corn, soy and what. The Latin America region is a major exporter to China, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Traders said lower crop yields would bring hardship to farmers and affect government tax revenue in Argentina and Paraguay.

The drought has caused political disruptions, more so in Argentina than in other Latin American countries. Relations between Argentina's government and importers soured after President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner slapped new taxes on traders and refused to budge in the face of furious demands for change.

Fernandez also upset farmers' groups after ignoring demands for more emergency aid to drought-stricken areas of the country.

The latest potential political flash point was caused when the government refused to defer new legislation that importers denounced as punitive, restrictive and wrapped in red tape.

Further complications arose after trade partner Brazil, increasingly under pressure over drought damage to its own crops, objected to new Argentine rules coming into place. Argentina and Brazil have $30 billion-a-year trade.

Critics say the new rules that came into effect in February introduce more bureaucratic delays. Manufacturers said the rules would inhibit industrial production and growth as they would likely impede the flow of components, raw materials and other industrial inputs.

The influential Sao Paulo Federation of Industries in Brazil said the new Argentine import rules could affect 80 percent of Brazilian exports to the country. Drought damage to agriculture will further worsen that outlook, analysts said.

Related Links
Climate Science News - Modeling, Mitigation Adaptation




.
.
Get Our Free Newsletters Via Email
...
Buy Advertising Editorial Enquiries






.

. Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle



CLIMATE SCIENCE
New Research Helps to Identify Ancient Droughts in China
Boulder, CO (SPX) Mar 12, 2012
Drought events are largely unknown in Earth's history, because reconstruction of ancient hydrological conditions remains difficult due to lack of proxy. New GEOLOGY research supported by China's NNSF and MS and T uses a microbial lipid proxy of highly alkaline conditions to identify enhanced aridity in Miocene sediments on the Tibetan Plateau. This enhanced aridity is associated with signi ... read more


CLIMATE SCIENCE
Australia braces for cyclone, floods

China iron mine accident kills 13

Manga artist back in the frame after Japan disasters

Butterfly molecule may aid quest for nuclear clean-up technology

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Overheating problem on the new iPad?

More countries start rare-earth mining

Japan, US, and EU to meet on rare earths

Nokia feels out tattoos that vibrate with incoming calls

CLIMATE SCIENCE
One solution to global overfishing found

Climate to cost $2 trillion year in damage to oceans: study

The Big Blue II: free-diving with dolphins at Italian villa

Study: Good management can save fisheries

CLIMATE SCIENCE
NASA's IceBridge 2012 Arctic Campaign Takes to the Skies

Greenland ice sheet may melt completely with 1.6 degrees global warming

China to conduct Arctic expedition

S. Korean, Russian scientists bid to clone mammoth

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Research reveals carbon footprint caused by China's irrigation system

New antibiotic could make food safer and cows healthier

Fertilization by invasive species threatens nutrient-poor ecosystems

Carrefour forced to shut China outlet over expired meats

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Powerful quake shakes southern Mexico, capital

6.7-magnitude quake strikes Papua New Guinea: USGS

Poweeful quake in Mexico, 11 injured

Panic leaves 45 injured in Philippine quake

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Fed up with northern rebellion, Mali soldiers revolt

Efforts to save lives in Nigeria with clean cookstoves

War fears as Ethiopia attacks Eritrea

Guinea-Bissau army denies involvement in assassination

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Did food needs put mankind on two feet?

Princeton scientists identify neural activity sequences that help form memory, decision-making

Self-centered kids? Blame their immature brains

Strong scientific evidence that eating berries benefits the brain


Memory Foam Mattress Review

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily Express :: SpaceWar Express :: TerraDaily Express :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

.

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2012 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement