Frosts reported in Brazil's sugarcane areas
Frosts were reported in Brazil's sugarcane, coffee and corn areas on Wednesday, analysts and weather agencies said, as the country saw very low temperatures all the way from the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul to the northern part of São Paulo.
It is reported by Reuters.
«It has been a long time since we saw this kind of frosts in Brazil», — Rural Clima's meteorologist Marco Antonio dos Santos said in a note to clients on Wednesday.
There were reports of frosts over sugarcane fields in São Paulo, a state that accounts for over 60% of sugar output in the country.
«For sugarcane, the impact is more severe (than for coffee in Sao Paulo», — said Celso Oliveira, a meteorologist at Somar, citing the main sugar region of Ribeirão Preto as one of those affected.
In the case of sugarcane, it is possible the cold weather will accelerate harvesting, as mills may try to reduce losses and start crushing sooner.
When hit by frosts, cane stops to grow and this reduces the sugar content. Hence mills harvest before the ideal time.
The polar air mass continues to move over the central areas in Brazil and more frosts are expected on Thursday.