Wet weather is expected to hamper sugar cane harvesting in northern Parana on Wednesday and spread to Sao Paulo state at the weekend, private forecaster Somar said on Monday. Sao Paulo and Parana are Brazil's two biggest cane growing states where harvesting is in full swing. Between 50 and 60 millimetres (2 to 2.4 inches) of rain is expected in the area between Maringa, Londrina and Bandeirantes in northern Parana, compared with a June average of nearly 100 mm.
In Sao Paulo's main cane growing area of Ribeirao Preto, between 30 to 50 mm of rain is expected, nearly double the June average of 30 mm. In Piracicaba, about 60 mm of rain is forecast, compared with a June average of 40 mm.
The forecast rain will end a dry spell that enabled cane harvesting to race ahead.
Last week the Sao Paulo Cane Agroindustry Union said the center-south had harvested 37.9 million tonnes of a record crop by May 16, up 72 percent on a year ago.