Nov 4 blog update

In memory of Andre Luft.

I learned yesterday a day a friend of mine had passed away. I cannot say we were close.
We kept in touch and Andre would help me from time to time with a project or tour etc.

Andre was a giant of a man. He was almost 7 feet tall. Gentle as a lamb.
He spoke perfect English. He was well educated and always looking for
opportunities and adventure. He left behind his wife and two sons. His mother
is a renowned author in Brazil. I believe his son's are studying abroad in California
and New Zealand.

Andre passions were agriculture and surfing. He had managed farms in Bahia, worked
in the seed business for sweet sorghum for ethanol production. The last three years he
moved to Mozambique with his wife. They worked for group setting up a farm from scratch
there. From nothing to something. They literally had to build their own semi-mud hut to
live in when they got there. Today there are houses, silos, machinery, corn, soybeans,
edible beans, and sunflowers growing.

He did not need to this project in Mozambique, he wanted too !!!!

He wanted to see where life would take him.

He loved to surf. In the last couple months he did return to Brazil
for heart surgery. He was given the OK to be physically active again.
He grabbed his surf board and headed to the beach in Mozambique.
It is there his heart gave out. He died doing what he loved the most.
Surfing!!!
Andre Luft left us at 51 years old. Too young

When I think of the size of Andre, I told myself this must be what
Zeus looks like. Hands that were huge and a heart even bigger.

His facebook page in Mozambique below:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1457352237853736/

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Rains have returned to the dry areas. We are still below normal, but planting
is zipping along now. Parana is too wet and that looks to continue.

Dollar:Real is 3.30:1

This is increasing soybean sales.
Soybeans are now at a higher price than they were in July at the peak.

Soybeans were down 11 cents and with FX up 4 points Friday, the
cash prices in Brazil actually went up.

From what I read, it looks like a 2nd corn ethanol mill will be built
at Sinop, MT. Ready July 2019. Paraguay group

Lots of talk about railroad concessions for 2018.
2018 is an election year so there will be much talk about
projects again. Let us keep an eye as to where the boots on the
ground are. At this point it is the BR military on BR 163 in Para state.
Paving crew is installed and they are hiring workers from the area to
run graders  etc. One problem, the rainy season now starts !!!!

2018 proves to be interesting here.

50% of the population want Lula in jail. 50% of the
population want him back as President.

The next most popular guy is Bolsonaro. Very far right.
Wants everyone to have a gun.

Many candidates in between.

Unless I start to see soybeans on fire, I will not worry too much
about Brazil bean crop in coming months. Big area planted with
lots of fertilizer. It was planted late so results will be different
than last year.

February is crucial for 2nd crop timing and harvest of
1st crop. We don't have any more days to burn because of rain
delays for example.

I also read that Maranhao state is having some financing issues.
Less soybean area and less fertilizer on some areas. Nominal area,
but these are carryover problems from the 2015-2016 drought
that still linger in frontier areas. Last year did not heal all wounds.

Thank you for all the renewals the past month.
Newsletter and VIP level. All are appreciated.

Keywords: Andre Luft, soybeans, railroad, BR 163, politics, corn ethanol,
   dollar:real FX