By Jose Rocher

Gazeta do Povo Newspaper Editor

CURITIBA, Brazil (Agriculture.com)--Four weeks before the beginning of the summer planting season, estimates of

Brazilian acres are starting to pop up and point in one direction, higher for 2010/11 soybeans.

This expansion occurs over an area of cultivation that increased in 2009/10, when the advantages of this option reduced the corn crops. Brazil dedicated 57.20 million acres to soybean and 31.87 million to corn (summer and winter) last season, according to Crop Expedition of the Gazeta do Povo newspaper.

"Soybean planting tends to increase again with a consequent corn reduction," says analyst technical-economic Robson Mafioletti, from Organization of Cooperatives (Ocepar). He believes that in Parana, the biggest Brazilian grain producer,  soybean harvest will increase 5%.

According to Safras & Mercado, soybean area is going to increase 2.2% in Brazil, with 3% advance in Parana. The company's technicians estimate that the corn is going to decrease about 6.5%. The main reason is in the market. The prices have been better to soybean since last harvest. In Parana, producers get 30% of profit with soybean and many times have loss with corn.

AgRural consulting bet on a 4.3% increase in the area of soybean in Paraná and 3% for the country. For corn, a decrease of 15% and 6.5% respectively is seen. Despite major variations, the trend observed by this company is the same, with the Paraná pulling the increase in oilseed and a reduction in cereal.

Mato Grosso, the main soybean producing-state in Brazil, presents minor variations than Paraná.  The state should also invest in the cotton crop which has been another good business in this region. This year, Mato Grosso may plant 15.56 million acres and Parana more 11.61 million acres with soybean.

Jose Rocher, located in Brazil,  is a contributing editor for Agriculture.com. Rocher can be reached at http://www.rpc.com.br.