AGRICULTURE REPORT - Big Harvests Expected for Major U.S. Cr

AGRICULTURE REPORT - Big Harvests Expected for Major U.S. Crops; May Add to Pressure on Prices
By Mario Ritter

Broadcast: Tuesday, August 31, 2004

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Late summer is when many farmers begin to know what size harvest to expect in the fall. And it appears that American farmers can expect several major crops to be at or near record levels this year.

The Agriculture Department says corn production is expected to reach almost eleven thousand million bushels. Each bushel is a little more than thirty-five liters¹. The United States is the largest producer and exporter of maize². A harvest this big would be eight percent larger than last year's levels, which set a record. It would also represent greater productivity³. Farmers expect a record yield⁴, or the amount produced per hectare.

The soybean crop this year is expected to be the second largest ever recorded. It is expected to be nineteen percent larger than last year. The soybean yield is also expected to increase.

Cotton farmers are also expected to have a good year with an eleven percent increase in their harvest. They are expected to produce twenty million bales of cotton. One bale weighs about two hundred twenty-seven kilograms.

Big harvests may seem like good news for farmers. Experts credit⁵ good weather conditions and improved seed for higher farm production and yields⁶. But there are the laws of supply and demand. If supply increases, unless demand also increases, prices can drop. And prices have been going down through the summer.

In April, the price of corn futures⁷ reached their highest level in years. But since April, prices of corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade have fallen by about thirty percent. Futures are financial tools that generally do not involve the exchange of real goods, but they can affect prices. Farmers or investors⁸ use futures to protect against changes in the market.

Prices for soybean futures have also dropped from highs in April. The United States Department of Agriculture says China may decrease its soybean imports. China is the world's biggest importer of soybeans. At the same time, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay -- all big South American producers of soybeans -- have surpluses⁹.

Lower prices and too much supply may not help farmers. But they do help companies that buy from farmers. Lower prices can also increase exports.

This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. This is Gwen Outen.

1 liters   

n.升( liter的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In the metric system, measurements are made in metres and liters. 在公制中，用米和升作计量单位。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This can holds five liters of water. 这个容器可装五升水。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

3 productivity   

n.生产力，生产率，多产

参考例句：

• Farmers are introducing in novations which increase the productivity.农民们正引进提高生产力的新方法。
• The workers try to put up productivity.工人设法提高生产率。

4 yield   

v.生产，出产；让步，屈服；n.产量，收获量

参考例句：

• A cow will yield several gallons of milk each day.一头母牛每天产几加仑的牛奶。
• We shall never yield to a conqueror.我们永远不会向征服者低头。

5 credit   

n.信用，荣誉，贷款，学分；v.归功于，赞颂，信任

参考例句：

• I credit him with a certain amount of sense.我认为他有一定的见识。
• He got the credit,and we did the dirty work.他得荣誉，我们做不讨好的工作。

6 yields   

n.产量( yield的名词复数 )；收益量；[财政学]投资实得率

参考例句：

• The yields on his shares have increased in this year. 今年他的股票红利增加了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These high yields have been achieved largely through better methods of cultivation. 这样高的产量主要是通过改良耕作方法取得的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

8 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

9 surpluses   

剩余额（surplus的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The United States tried to dispose of its grain surpluses. 美国努力把过剩粮食处理掉。
• Surpluses may be dissipated by accumulating reserves or lending overseas. 顺差则可以转化为储备的积累或对海外的放款。