Rio, November 28, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The total production of grains, legumes, and oil seed crops should attain 97.266 billion tons in 2002, 1.30% less than the 98.544 billion tons harvested in 2001, according to estimates based on data gathered by the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) in October and released today. Compared with September's estimates, which predicted a harvest of 97.832 million tons, the decline comes to 0.58%.

The forecast for the Northern region is 2.148 million tons; for the Northeast, 6.399 million tons; the Center-West, 31.291 million tons; Southeast, 14.156 million tons; and for the South, 43.273 million tons.

According to the IBGE, there will be growth in the production of unhusked rice, the three harvests of beans, and soybeans. Declines will occur in the production of unginned herbaceous cotton, corn in kernels (both harvests), and wheat.

According to the IBGE, the national grain production tally board is practically complete. Only the wheat harvest is still underway, mostly in Rio Grande do Sul. (DAS)