Brazilian deal extends ban on Amazon soya

Carlos Minc, Brazil's new environment minister, reached agreement with the grain-processing industry to ban purchases of soya from deforested Amazon regions until July 2009.
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Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Amazon campaign director, said the decision was "very important, as it shows a leading sector in Brazilian agribusiness can guarantee food production without the need to cut down one more hectare of Amazon".

Brazil is the world’s second-largest soya producer after the United States. Abiove and Anec control about 94% of Brazil’s trade in the crop. As world grain prices have risen in recent months, the pace of deforestation has quickened.  

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