Brazilian agribusiness consultancy AgRural on Monday said it cut its production estimate for Brazil’s second corn crop in the Center South region due to a prolonged drought that worsened in the first week of May.

Farmers there are now expected to reap 65.1 million tonnes of second corn, down from 73 million tonnes estimated on April 19, according to a statement. At the same time AgRural said average yields are now seen at 84.1 60-kilo bags per hectare, the lowest in three years.

In the whole of Brazil, AgRural said second corn crop production will be an estimated 69.6 million tonnes, compared with 75.1 million tonnes in 2020.

The figure takes into account AgRural’s own projection for Center South production and the government’s estimated output for the North and Northeast, which also plant second corn.

Brazil’s total production of corn in the 2020/2021 crop cycle will be an estimated 95.5 million tonnes, compared with 102.6 million tonnes in the previous season, AgRural said.