"For Sao Paulo (the main cane state) only about 8 millimeters is expected on September 11," Somar meteorologist Nadja Marinho said. "That's not much rain when you consider it will be the only moisture over the next two weeks."
The center-south cane harvest, which accounts for 85 percent of Brazil's cane, has reached about 50 percent of the planted areas but is still behind last year's crushing due to unusually abundant rains in April-May.
The smaller north-east cane harvest which got underway in the past few weeks will see light scattered showers along the coastal regions where the cane is planted this week, said Nadja, but next week should turn dry and favour harvest. Brazil is the world's largest producer of cane and sugar.