Brazil's main centre-south sugarcane crop, which began harvesting in late March, will be dry through May 19, after receiving normal to above normal rainfall in April, meteorologists Somar said on Monday. "There could be some very light, isolated showers today and tomorrow but nothing that will interrupt harvesting, even in Parana," Somar meteorologist Cassia Beu said. "Beyond this, there's no rain expected for the next 10 days."
Brazil's central-south cane region, which accounts for 85 percent of the country's crop output, suffered from a drought in February, which some analysts and industry leaders say has reduced the volume of cane that will be harvested this season.
But most of the main growing regions have seen average to above average rainfall in April, according to Somar data.
In Ribeirao Preto, the leading cane growing region in Brazil's main cane state of Sao Paulo, received about 100 millimeters of rainfall in April compared with 60 mm on average, Beu said.
The adjacent regions of Catanduva and Jau received 115 mm and 76 mm, respectively, compared with 58 mm and 53 mm on average.
The important cane producing region of Piracicaba in Sao Paulo, however, was about 19 percent drier than normal for April. It received 43 mm against an average of 53 mm.
In Presidente Prudente of Parana, the No 2 cane state after Sao Paulo, 65 mm of rain fell in April against 60 mm on average for the important producer region.
More than half of the 236 cane mills in the center-south have begun harvesting and crushing the new crop, which is seen by analysts between 345 million and 358 million tonnes. Harvest will continue through November.
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