The ongoing harvest in Paraguay is set to end up at a record 8.35m tonnes, the US Department of Agriculture said, lifting its estimate by 600,000 tonnes. The output rise on improved weather and agricultural techniques.
The crop soared 77% in 2009-10. But last season, when struck by the drought which also hit parts of Argentina and Brazil, output slumped 39%.
«Improvements in farm practices, use of biotech soy, timely rains, warm temperatures and a relatively unhampered harvest are helping Paraguay to achieve a record high soybean yield», - the USDA's Denise Williams said.
The yield was pegged at 2.78 tonnes per hectare.
Furthermore, in contrast to neighbouring Brazil, «adequate infrastructure allowed the transmission of strong world demand into the Paraguay market», Dr Williams said.
