Rio, 12/22/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Next year's grain harvest should reach slightly over 130 million tons, reports the government statistical bureau (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) (IBGE). That will be an increase of almost 7% over this year's record harvest.

Carlos Alberto Lauria, of the IBGE, points out that an increase of 13.68% in soybean production in the state of Mato Grosso will be the determining factor in 2004 harvest growth. "It is productivity that is on the rise, with the use of technology," says Lauria, adding that the there also be an increase of 4.22% in cropland. (AB)