Brasília, 7/3/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - This year's coffee harvest is expected to be some 40% less than last year's. According to minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues, the harvest, which ends in August, should reach between 27 million and 30 million 60-kilo sacks. It is reported that 80% of the harvest has been collected in Espirito Santo, while in São Pualo, Paraná, Bahia, Rondônia, Mato Grosso, Pará e Rio de Janeiro, between 60% and 65% is in.

The minister explains that there are two reasons for the downturn: "First, coffee is a cyclical crop which has ups and downs. A good harvest, such as we had last year, is followed by a weak one. Second, there has been a deterioration in the country's coffee croplands due to a lack of investment in technology, which is linked to the fact that there is a low return on investments in the sector." (AB)