Brasília, September 29, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues, gave a speech at the opening of the Soy-Foods 2003, today, in São Paulo. The Soy-Foods convention, the world's biggest meeting on the use of soybeans in human nutrition, is intended to promote the exchange of information and business transactions involving soybeans, with a focus on the Latin American market. Current worldwide sales of food products derived from this oil seed exceed US$ 30 billion.

This year's edition of the meeting will bring together professionals and specialists on the use of soybeans for human consumption from Brazil, Belgium, the United States, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and the United Kingdom. The Soy-Foods convention is being held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, on United Nations Avenue, in São Paulo, and will end on Tuesday (30).

Brazil is the world's second largest producer of soybeans, with a crop estimated at 52 million tons in 2002/2003, and this year it should take over first place in exports, surpassing the United States for the first time. The forecast is for the country's foreign sales to reach around US$ 8 billion, corresponding to approximately 27 million tons.

The increase in soybean production in Brazil is mainly the result of gains in productivity. In 1990/91 the country cultivated an area of 9.7 million hectares and harvested 15.3 million tons. In 2002/2003, soybean cultivation occupied 18.4 million hectares, and 52 million tons were harvested. This demonstrates that, over a period of 12 harvests, production tripled in Brazil. During this period there was an 84.4% productivity increase, from 1.5 tons per hectare to 2.8 tons per hectare. (DAS)