SABI Brazil, Oct 30, 2001 (Valor Economico/SABI via COMTEX) -- TheBrazilian soy crop next year may be not only one of the largest, but alsothe earliest. By the third week of October, the area already planted withsoy equalled 11% of the total intended for this crop. This compares with4% at the same time last year. A rainy spell in September helped withearlier planting and if favorable weather persists, the planting could befinished two or three weeks earlier this year. An early planting andharvest can bring a double benefit to the producer, who will have the cropready for sale earlier, when there is more demand in the market and whowill be ready sooner for the corn planting. Negotiations related to thesale of the harvest in January are beginning to take place in some areasof the country, with prices of between R$20 and R$25.