Rio, March 5, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Production of herbaceous cotton should grow 34.05% in 2004, compared with 2003, for a total of 2.957 million tons, according to the first estimate of the 2004 harvest, calculated by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) through the Systematic Survey of Agricultural Production (LSPA), released yesterday (4). According to the Institute's coordinator of Agriculture, Carlos Lauria, this result reflects the good quality of the national product, which commands favorable prices on both domestic and foreign markets.

Lauria added that the currently forecasted rise in cotton production stems from the increase in area under cultivation, which should grow 32.90%, for a total of 947,854 hectares. The standout performer is Bahia, in which the area under cultivation will increase 117%, surpassing Goiás, which was up to now the second largest producer in the country. (DAS)