Carolina Gonçalves and Renata Giraldi      Reporters Agência Brasil (with Lusa of Portugal)

Brasília – As farmers in Brazil and the United States count their losses from drought, Europe is ready to become a major grain exporter. The European Union as a whole expects to export around tem million tons of grains this year, taking advantage of higher prices. As recently as 2007/2008, Europe had to import eight million tons of grain.

While grain losses in the US are between 20% and 30%, in some parts of Brazil the drought has been devastating with losses of up to 70% in the bean harvest in the Northeast region. Meanwhile, although not completely unscathed, European Commission reports that losses there will be less than 3%. The hardest hit area is Portugal where losses will be the biggest in seven years.

The result of smaller grain harvests, especially in the US, is higher prices. Corn reached a record high in August, along with wheat. As a result meat prices are rising.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Europa deve se beneficiar de seca nos Estados Unidos e Brasil para se tornar exportador de grãos