BRASILIA, June 12 (Xinhua) -- The grain production of Brazil in the 2017-2018 season is estimated to reach 229.7 million tons, a 3.4 percent decrease compared with 237.7 million tons last year, said its food supply and statistics agency Conab Tuesday.
The agency downgraded the yield once before, when it forecast a 232.6 million-ton harvest on May 10.
The expected volume includes some 118 million tons of soy and 85 million tons of corn, as well as other grains.
Conab blamed the decrease in yield, despite a record high area of cultivated farmland of 61.6 million hectares, on poor weather conditions that especially impacted the country's second corn harvest.
Wilson Vaza, deputy head from the Agriculture Ministry's agricultural policy department, said that despite the setback in yields, the outlook was positive.
"The motivation remains and next year we believe we can surpass 240 million tons," said Vaza.
The agency also announced the creation of an agricultural information website that will act as a clearinghouse for all manner of data, from yields to prices and inventory per state, and the cost of shipping.
