26/10/04 - In Brazil unfavourably dry conditions continued to affectsoybean plantings and early germination in the states of Mato Grosso,Goias and Minas Gerais. However, some good rainfall was received on Oct 24and 25 in southern parts of Mato Grosso do Sul, Parana, Santa Catarina andparts of Rio Grande do Sul. Overall, soybean plantings are running behindand crop prospects have deteriorated due to the detrimental weather inMato Grosso, which was Brazil’s largest soybean producing state last year.ABIOVE estimates this year’s soybean crop at 61.5 Mn T, up from 50.8 Mn Tlast year. Last week we published our crop estimate of 60.0 Mn T andpointed out that this year’s total Brazilian soybean plantings will fallshort of expectations. The first planting estimate of CONAB is scheduledto be released today.ABIOVE reported soybean crushings of members at 2.25 Mn T in Sept, downseasonally from 2.43 Mn T in August. Basis this information, we estimatetotal Brazilian soybean crushings at 2.58 Mn T in Sept compared with 2.80Mn T a month and 2.55 Mn T a year earlier.