date:Sep 27, 2012
is year from 2011 as a La Nina phenomenon brought a severe drought, according to government crop
agency Conab. La Nina refers to colder-than-average sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, and has the inverse effect of El Nino for South American grains regions.
Neutral conditions aren't quite as bad as La Nina, and Mr. Oliveira noted that the prospects for southern Brazil still don't compare with the previous soybean crop.
Last summer was extremely dry in the south, he said. This s