Brazil's Soybean Crush Up 4.1% in May

BRASILIA - Jul 11/02 - STAT -- Soybean disappearance levels pulled ahead of last year during May, with crush rising 4.1% to 2.18 million metric tons (MT), according to data compiled by ABIOVE (Associação Brasileira das Indústrias de Óleos Vegetais).

The boost in activity during the month brought soybean crush and export sales volumes in line with levels achieved during the January to May period last year.

Year to date soybean crush now totals 8.18 million MT from grower deliveries of 22.64 million MT, up from 19.83 million last year.

Meal production in May totalled 1.68 million MT, for a year to date total of 6.32 million MT, 3,000 MT behind last year. However, stocks have been building because of a steep drop in soymeal exports from 4.04 million MT the first five months of 2001 to 3.23 million MT so far this year. The increase in stocks would have been greater if not for a 10.5% increase in domestic soymeal consumption levels.

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