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Learn more. adding it will process the affected cane in coming days but that it expects a reduction in the industrial efficiency in the conversion to sugar."As a result a reduction of 110,000 tons of sugar is estimated offset by a proportional increase in ethanol production," Sao Martinho said.It also disclosed additional investments of 70 million reais ($12.7 million) from its initial capex guidance for the 2024/25 crop to preserve productivity in the coming harvests.Citi analysts said the drought and the fires will likely have a negative impact on the next crop in 2025 since some burned fields had cane growing for the next season.Brazil's sugar and ethanol industry group UNICA said on Monday it will start to make an assessment of the situation in the fields in the coming days.($1 = 5.4968 reais)Reporting by Roberto Samora and Andre Romani in Sao Paulo and Marcelo Teixeira in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Michael Perry Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Covers agricultural commodities and biofuels, including production, trade and transportation, based in New York. Former Brazil correspondent and climate/environment reporter. Brazilian, holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree and has done post-graduate studies in Environmental Reporting from Germany's InWent Institute and Foreign Policy and International Political Economy from Harvard University. Avid soccer and tennis player. , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page roasted chestnuts and agua-pé are kings and lords of any magusto as you stroll through the streets of Lisbon you’re sure to smell the aroma of roasted chestnuts in the air which invades every Lisbon alleyway with that aroma typical of this time of year Speaking of which, have you seen our guide to the best places in the city to eat the most delicious roasted chestnuts At this time of year, it’s normal for the streets of Lisbon to be lined with leaves in autumnal hues on every corner of the city you can see hot roasted chestnuts coming out of the huge charcoal roasters wrapped in a sheet of newspaper or a yellow page and even taste a dozen of these excellent delicacies there are some streets and arteries in Lisbon that you must pass through On this list you’ll find the best roasted chestnuts But we can lift the veil a little with some of the main arteries: Carlos do Carmo had a huge career in fado and today we remember the Portuguese fado singer who sang “Homem das castanhas” so many times Autumn is one of the most beautiful times to live in Lisbon For those who aren’t fans of hot weather the onset of rainy days and the cold weather are the perfect excuses to get out of the house preferably bundled up in gloves and a scarf And there’s a place in Lisbon where these items are the house specialty. which at this time of year show fantastic colors with the leaves scattered across the ground and the trees taking on a whole new life We highlight the Miradouro de Nossa Senhora do Monte for many the best viewpoint in the city with breathtaking views where the castle and the historic center appear in the foreground and then the Tagus on the horizon Despite the well-known summer of São Martinho which happens whenever there’s a bit of sunshine and the weather gets milder at this time of year the truth is that with November comes the cold days and also the desire to eat and drink something hot and For us, the magic solution is hot chocolate and, fortunately, in Lisbon there are several places that serve it delicious and creamy. St. Martin’s Day will be celebrated with a special brunch at Mama Shelter where there will be no shortage of chestnuts and jeropiga and not even the traditional roasted chestnuts outside the hotel-restaurant We’ll tell you more about this São Martinho brunch in our article! Novembro é sinal de frio, castanhas assadas e jeropiga… e de muitos mais! Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information A farmer picks corn during a harvest in Correntina 2024 at 3:06 PM ESTBookmarkSaveLock This article is for subscribers only.A corn ethanol boom that reshaped Brazil’s biofuel industry is nearing an end one of the country’s largest producers of the fuel Weakness in prices is making it harder for companies to keep investing in new ethanol plants São Martinho Chief Financial Officer Felipe Vicchiato told investors Friday The company makes ethanol from sugar cane and recently started up a new corn plant but the executive said plans for expanding into corn are no longer economical facility in rural Georgia is able to process ethanol made from American-grown corn it will likely run on mostly sugarcane ethanol imported from Brazil when it first ramps up to commercial production That’s because many of the largest Brazilian mills have already been certified to make feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) that meets official international and domestic standards Martin's Day will be celebrated with a special brunch at Mama Shelter Chestnuts and Jeropiga are two of the ingredients that won’t be missing As we can’t always have the long-awaited summer of São Martinho (because the cold has already set in), November is synonymous with warmer blankets and coats. This year, St. Martin’s Day doesn’t fall on a weekend, but that doesn’t mean you can celebrate it a week later at a special brunch to celebrate the saint... with lots of chestnuts and jeropiga, of course! The buffet for this São Martinho brunch, prepared by the talented team of Chef José Luís Miranda, offers comforting roasted sweet potatoes with chestnuts, rocket salad with figs and walnuts, sea bass au gratin and even farinheira stuffed with pork tenderloins and pumpkin puree with sweet potatoes. As for desserts, there will be rice pudding, chocolate mousse with jeropiga, almond cake, apple cake, baklava and dark chocolate truffles with orange, sweets that will fill Mama Shelter’s table with authentic flavors. The offer also includes a station of regional cheeses and sausages, varied salads, vegan options, as well as a wide range of typical breads and sweets. At the entrance to the restaurant, there’s a typical chestnut roaster to delight everyone present, whether they’re entering or leaving the brunch. To accompany the chestnuts, Jeropiga is served in a chocolate cup. All this to savor while the unmistakable aroma of roasted chest nuts wafts through the air, making the atmosphere at Mama Shelter even more welcoming. The São Martinho brunch will be served between 12pm and 4pm and costs €40 per adult and €15 per child, aged 4 to 12. Address: Rua do Vale do Pereiro 19 Hours: November 17th, from 12 noon to 4pm Tickets: 40€ for adults; 15€ for children between 4 and 12 years old This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The motorcyclist who recently suffered – close to 6.30 pm yesterday (Tuesday) died a violent accident between a motorcycle and two cars on the Caminho de São Martinho Despite the resuscitation efforts made by EMIR and the Funchal Sapadores Firefighters The man was projected about eight meters after the collision The motorcyclist was still taken to the hospital but did not resist From Agora Madeira Condolences to his family and friends RIP RIP dear soul and my sympathies to his family at this very sad time 🙏 Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email It’s that time of year again where the traditional Bacalhau is served and the tasting of the new wine from this year’s harvest São Martinho Church is the place to be starting Thursday evening the best day to go as its the eve of São Martinho which is on the 11th a great festival with lots of food drink and music If you are not keen on Bacalhau it might be worth eating before you go and there isn’t really any other choice of food you might be lucky to see some chicken on the bbq Out friend Luis Filipe will be there serving the best bacalhau From early evening it will be busy… then Golegã National Horse Fair is just for you This spectacular ‘must see’ event in Portugal takes place this week in the small rural town of Golegã It’s a charming historic town comfortably situated in Portugal’s Ribatejo Province This region is one of the country’s the most fertile areas The province maintains many traditions including the Campinos (Portuguese cowboys) who are still found working the cattle on the large farms It is also the home to many of the oldest and most prestigious breeders of Lusitanos Golegã National Horse Fair was founded in the 18th century and was originally called "Feira de São Martinho” While originally established as an agricultural fair to promote the province’s ample produce since there were also many well know Lusitano breeders nearby they were encouraged to show their horses at the fair Very quickly the Lusitano horse became the main attraction and in 1972 the name was changed to ‘Feira Nacional do Cavalo’ (National Horse Fair) The Fair is held annually at the beginning of November and is the largest horse fair in Portugal.  It has a unique Held over a 10-day period it must include the most important date - November 11 which is the Feast of Saint Martin (Dia de São Martinho) On this day the people eat roasted chestnuts and drink new wine for Magusto the riders will dress up in traditional Portuguese Riding attire – although most dress up throughout the festival you usually see the finest clothing on the 11th A celebration is held outside the stunning 16 century Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição which is a traditional ceremony For 10 days the town transforms from its usual sleepy state to a frenzy of horses From late afternoon until the early hours the streets are packed The air is filled with the smoke from roasting chestnuts and BBQs the clopping of horses’ hooves and carriage wheels on the streets There’s a wide array of traditional food stalls and restaurants offering regional gastronomy it’s a shopping extravaganza of wonderful stalls –everything from traditional tack and clothing to quirky battery-powered horses traditional drinks and foods and even antiques As you weave your way through the streets do not be surprised if a house front door bursts open and out prances a stunning white Lusitano ridden by an elegant old gentleman Tiny children on majestic stallions perform may piaffe in front of you and carriages pulled by shinning black horses rush by only centimeters away You will discover bars designed so the riders can ride their horses inside - 10 riders lined up in front of the bar their stallions unfazed by the closeness of each other and the riders cheerfully enjoying a refreshing beer or two During the daytime you can watch the showing classes where you will see some of the finest examples of Lusitanos You can also enjoy Dressage and working equitation competitions around the edge of the town there are other competitions taking place such as Endurance Jumping and even cross-country Eventing.  Later in the evenings in the centre’s main arena (The Manga) they present beautiful classical shows fast action games of horse ball and prize-giving parades Situated around the Manga are the Coudelarias - breeder’s ‘Casetas’ The ‘Casetas’ are small wooden houses designed to greet guests with wines Here you have the opportunity to meet the breeders examples of their Lusitanos horses are presented in stalls On the day the breeders bring their stallions to the Casetas the energy literally goes up 10 notches; stunning stallions are led in parting the crowds It is pure spectacle – the 10 black stallions of Coudelaria Ortigao Costa create a dramatic and thrilling entrance They are lined in the elegant stalls with bronze horse heads on carved posts and polish wood They call out to the other stallions to announce their arrival In these modern times with everything moving on so fast it is both refreshing and energising to visit a cultural event that is still able to embrace tradition and indeed value it so highly that it still feels authentic – full of the spirit of life it is an event you really should have on your list of things to experience Written by Teresa Burton Lusitano Heritage Images by Lena Saugen Photography and Christophe Taneire Not even a life threatening diagnosis and a wheelchair could stop horse trainer Nelly Jaehne from doing what she was born to do RIDE presented by Longines visits the German stud.. With Christmas and the holiday season fast approaching from stocking stuffers to more elaborate presents that might just rival buying the horse itself Young Portuguese Dressage rider João Torrão tells us about the deep connection he has with his horse Equador and their short journey from Novice to Grand Prix level… FEI.org writer Sophie Baker discusses the highs and lows of her equestrian year.. Equestrian Carl Hedin shares his philosophy for ensuring his horses’ wellbeing.. The Eventing star explains how to make the outdoors great… We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies Experience Portugal’s vibrant culture through its festivals From lively street parades to historic events Most villages and towns in Portugal have their own traditional festival (festa) or pilgrimage (romaria) These traditional festivals celebrate the country’s history There are also some great contemporary events throughout the year Visiting the country during one of these top festivals is an excellent way to experience Portugal’s rich culture: You will find Carnaval parades all over Portugal, with Lisbon and the towns of the Algarve throwing particularly spectacular celebrations While it may seem to be all Rio-style feathers Carnaval festivals in Portugal date back centuries to when people held huge feasts to eat up all the meat it begins on the last Friday before Lent and ends on Shrove Tuesday those parts of the procession carry huge flower-covered crosses and destroy them at the end during a special ceremony The International Sand Sculpture Festival (Festival Internacional de Escultura em Areia – FIESA) held in Pera in the Algarve has been running since 2003 Artists use some 40,000 tonnes of sand over an area of 15,000 square meters to create sand sculptures Some sculptures even soar up to a height of 12 meters the festival organizers illuminate the magnificent sculptures Festa das Cruzes Its roots stem back to the 16th century when a cobbler saw the shape of a cross appear on the ground and interpreted it as a sign of divine presence attracting pilgrims from all over Portugal featuring parades of locals in folk costume Peregrinação de Fátima is Portugal’s most famous Christian pilgrimage three children saw a miraculous vision of the Virgin Mary in Fatima This was apparently witnessed by large numbers of visitors to the site Massive numbers of pilgrims come here throughout the year The town hosts a candlelight procession on 12 May tearful crowds wave white handkerchiefs as a congregation carries a statue of the Virgin Mary from the high altar to the Chapel of the Apparitions during the Adeus (farewell) procession A second pilgrimage also occurs in October During the Feast of Saint Anthony festival on 12 June, the Alfama district of Lisbon is decked with lights and streamers The air is filled with the smell of sardines grilling on churrascos outside houses and restaurants The tradition celebrates the story of how a fish rose out of the sea to listen to the 13th-century saint when the locals wouldn’t Saint Anthony is also known as the matchmaker saint Women fill their mouths with water until they hear a man’s name mentioned while men offer women basil plants and love poems The Arraial Pride is Portugal’s main pride event and has been held since 1996 You can expect the usual fun and frivolity of music Although it is usually held at the end of June the exact date and location of the LGBT event change every year This is one of the largest music festivals in Portugal and is based on its famous Brazilian counterpart, Rock in Rio. Held in Lisbon’s Bela Vista Park, the four-day, two-weekend music festival attracts leading international musicians and DJs as well as emerging talent to perform on the World Stage The 2020 Rock in Rio-Lisboa takes place on 20-21 and 27-28 June This festival which pays tribute to Saint John the Baptist has been held in Porto on 23 June for more than 600 years It begins with street parties and music begin in the afternoon and the party continues late into the night Party-goers release sky lanterns and balloons and enjoy a midnight firework display people bash each other over the head with plastic hammers Young men also throw garlic flowers at women who take their fancy During the first two weeks of July, girls parade around the streets of Tomar with piles of bread on their heads as part of the ancient Festa dos Tabuleiros (Festival of the Trays) Also known as Festa do Divino Espirito Santo (Feast of the Holy Spirit) the event is Tomar’s biggest and most spectacular procession People walk in pairs with the girls wearing tabuleiros; these are headdresses made from bread stacked in rows festooned with flowers and topped with a crown and dove or celestial sphere There are other traditional processions alongside the main parade Festa do Colete Encarnado (or Festival of the Red Waistcoat) is Portugal’s answer to Pamplona’s running of the bulls and takes its name from the traditional red waistcoats worn by local campinos the three-day festival starts with a parade celebrating the campino (cowboy) in the city square and into the streets Then the bulls run loose through the streets of Vila Franca de Xira while foolhardy men try to keep out of their way there have been casualties during the festival in the past Close to the Spanish border, the hilltop town of Viseu has one of the best-preserved fortifications in Europe. Viseu is also home to the longest festival procession in southern Portugal. The Feira de São Mateus is a series of celebrations in commemoration of Saint Matthew Originally from Vancouver, Adam has lived in Belgium and Hong Kong and is currently residing in the Netherlands. His interests range a wide spectrum of topics, from digital nomads and modern conflict to sports and local craft beer. Brazil's São Martinho, a sugar and ethanol group, has acquired Santa Cruz sugar and ethanol mill from Luiz Ometto Partcipações and other stake holders. São Martinho is willing to pay 315.8 million reais (€101 million) over a 10-year period for 56% of Santa Cruz's capital. This will bring São Martinho's total stake in Santa Cruz to more than 92%. Santa Cruz, which has the capacity to crush 4.5 million tonnes of cane a year, will also lease up to 20,122 hectares of cane land from Luiz Ometto Partcipações for 20 years. Do you have a positive or negative outlook for the biofuels industry in 2025 View Results We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. Learn more. The São Martinho Group – one of the largest sugar and ethanol groups in Brazil – and Petrobras Biocombustível which has been producing biofuel since July 2008 have their fingers on the pulse of the Brazilian biofuel industry and see the time is right for expansion the two companies have announced R$520.7 million will be spent through the joint venture to expand the sugarcane crushing capacity of the Boa Vista mill in the city of Quirinópolis in Goiás to 8 million metric tons as of the 2014/15 harvest year “This major project will mark the beginning of a new cycle of investments in ethanol production in Brazil,” said Miguel Rossetto The Boa Vista mill has gradually been increasing its sugarcane crushing capacity since its inauguration in 2008 A total of 2 million metric tons of sugarcane was crushed in the 2010/11 harvest year which should jump to 2.3 million metric tons during the 2011/12 harvest year R$430.5 million will be allocated to the acquisition of industrial equipment and the remaining R$90.2 million to agricultural equipment nearly 70% of the mill's production will be supplied by the company's own sugarcane “These investments are essential for leveraging our production capacity and increasing ethanol supply in the market,” commented Fábio Venturelli Boa Vista will boast an electricity cogeneration capacity of 600,000 MWh making it the world’s largest mill focused solely on ethanol production it will generate 3,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Quirinópolis region The São Martinho Group is one of the largest sugar and ethanol groups in Brazil with annual sugarcane crushing capacity of 14 million metric tons It operates three mills: São Martinho in Pradópolis (in the Ribeirão Preto region of São Paulo) in Iracemápolis (in the Limeira region of São Paulo) and Boa Vista (Quirinópolis 300 kilometres from Goiânia in Goiás) The group's average harvest mechanization ratio is 87.1% with this figure reaching 100% at the Boa Vista Mill ended 2010 with interests in 10 mills with crushing capacity of 24.5 million metric tons of sugarcane a production capacity of 942,000 cubic metres of ethanol and exports of 517 GWh of electricity (generated from sugarcane bagasse) The company’s 2011-2015 Business Plan lays out investments of US$1.9 billion in ethanol production in order to reach a production volume of 5.6 billion litres by 2015 (including partnerships) and 12% of the domestic market share São Martinho Group Petrobras Biocombustível left the family and the rest of the Madeiran community in shock with multiple reactions of sadness from friends demonstrating the your affection for the enormous talent that unfortunately left a young Madeiran rally driver who died last Thursday in a tragic motorcycle accident in Porto Santo in the chapel of the cemetery of Nossa Senhora das Angústias There will also be Mass on the 7th day next Wednesday From Diário Notícias Read today's Portuguese stories delivered to your email This is the last weekend that you can visit the Portimão Fair and Exhibition Park, which hosts the 360th São Martinho Fair whose origins date back to the 17th century as well as an injection of adrenaline with bumper car tracks and carousels families will be able to benefit from discounts in all participating spaces visitors will be able to see an exhibition of various car brands with the aim of exhibiting new and used vehicles Visitors can still see the vehicles on display at the Portimão Arena at the following times: the 10 and 11 November, between 4 pm and midnight and on the 12th of November between 4 pm and 10 pm. The remaining spaces of the fair between the 10 and 11 November will be open to the public from 10 am, closing only at 1 am. On the last day, the fair will still open at 10 am, closing at midnight. We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to, we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small. You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time. Send us your comments or opinion on this article. Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal, written in English, Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Romanian, Turkish and Chinese. Data collected, transmitted, and processed in real time can improve farming productivity and sustainability, but limited connectivity and access to digital technology are barriers still needing to be addressed The most recent Agricultural Census by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) showed that 1.5 million growers now access data using electronic devices (see article on page 26), a figure 1,900% higher than 10 years ago, denoting a high rate of digital adoption. “Process digitization, however, requires rural telecommunications infrastructure that in Brazil is still limited. It’s our Achilles’ heel,” says Massruhá. MAPA, he continues, is conducting a survey of the status of rural connectivity in the country. The study is evaluating the potential use of existing connection infrastructure, such as repeater antennas at road police stations and fiber-optic networks that can share rights-of-way with power transmission lines. The results from the survey will inform a national rural connectivity plan that the government plans to launch in 2020. Léo Ramos Chaves Cattle on the Santa Rosa property in Altair wear ear tags with chips for identificationLéo Ramos Chaves One initiative to deploy agriculture 4.0 is being implemented at sugar and ethanol company São Martinho’s operations in Pradópolis, São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. The company has built its own 4G network to transmit data generated by more than 700 farm machines operating across its more than 135,000 hectares of sugarcane fields. The fleet is now connected by six transmission towers to a Farm Operations Center where 50 people monitor indicators in real time. The 4G project developed at CPQD will now be tested for two years at four soybean, maize, cotton, and beef farms in Mato Grosso and Bahia. “We hope to demonstrate that real-time information and the use of IoT applications can significantly improve productivity,” says Fabrício Lira Figueiredo, director of Intelligent Agribusiness Development at CPQD. When machines and sensors are connected in real time, explains Figueiredo, data can then be collected by the minute, allowing managers to act on the data immediately. For example, they can adjust the route of a planter that has gone off course, dispatch a sprayer to apply pesticide on a patch where a drone has detected a larval infestation, before it spreads across the field, or reschedule harvester tasks in response to an alert that there will be rainfall on some fields and not others. Another barrier to digital transformation in agribusiness is that the software running on electronic equipment and devices is often not interoperable. Manufacturers create proprietary operating systems that are not able to exchange information with other firms’ systems. This makes little sense in a world that is moving towards online communication and IoT. A tentative solution to the problem will be presented in April by the Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers (ABIMAQ). The proposed solution will involve the development of a Collaborative Farm Database (BDCA)—a cloud-based big data platform to store data from equipment and sensors—and a software system to adapt and standardize the communication language. Léo Ramos Chaves Farmhand uses a wand to collect data about each animal before saleLéo Ramos Chaves chairman of the Agricultural Equipment Sector Committee at ABIMAQ says the information in the database will be used exclusively by farmers and only they will be able to give access permissions to commercial partners and suppliers “The cost of the service is yet to be determined but it won’t be expensive as the project is not seeking profit To do so we need to build scale,” says Bastos CPQD has licensed its rural connectivity technology—a suite of hardware and software—to Trópico Telecomunicações The first deal was signed with US farm equipment manufacturer John Deere In 2019 the companies launched a service to build on-farm internet connection networks The networks are built to each client’s connectivity requirements using towers and a transmission system based on Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology John Deere provides a platform that integrates the telemetry data from its equipment and onboard sensors with data from farmers’ business partners such as market analyses and weather forecasts manager for precision farming solutions at John Deere says on-farm conductivity is essential in enabling farmers to collect And connectivity will soon become even more important “Software systems and artificial intelligence algorithms will now read the data and control automated equipment autonomously,” he says Technologies with these capabilities are already being used on farms John Deere is currently running tests in Brazil and the US on a system that uses cameras and sensors to detect weeds in the field Artificial intelligence software then controls pesticide application using high-precision nozzles that direct the spray pattern squarely to the selected target generating herbicide savings while minimizing environmental impact The system is autonomous and its movements are controlled by GPS John Deere is not the only company testing driverless tractors and farm machinery. Italy-based CNH Industrial, which manufactures machinery under the Case and New Holland brands, and Brazil-based Jacto, are currently testing new driverless equipment in Brazil. Léo Ramos Chaves Inside the cab of a highly automated farm machine from John DeereLéo Ramos Chaves Jacto also runs a school in Pompeia, São Paulo, the Shinju Nishimura Technology Foundation, that trains workers to use these technologies in the field The initiative reveals a concern in the industry about the need to reskill workers who have been displaced from farms by advancing technology “Modernization has shrunk the number of job posts in agriculture but at the same time it has created opportunities for higher-skilled labor such as agro-industries and agro-services,” says Nicole Rennó Castro a researcher at the Center for Advanced Research in Applied Economics (CEPEA) at ESALQ-USP Léo Ramos Chaves Land ready for planting sugarcane—one of the crops seeing the most intensive use of digital technologies—in Ribeirão Preto the mesh network is connected to radio towers that can connect to a central hub at the farm office supporting two-way communications and real-time action by farm managers Agribusiness company Terra Santa Agro has implemented the solution on one of its soybean “We’re no longer caught by surprise at the end of the day by machine downtime due to unexpected operational or weather events,” says Márcio Ferreira, a manager at Terra Santa Agro. Relying on precise information to plan planting and harvesting operations, he says, was crucial in enabling the company to turn around seven years of losses and post an operating profit in 2018 Agribusiness startups—known as agtechs—are working alongside farmers and equipment manufacturers to create innovative solutions for farming “Digital agriculture is a complex ecosystem Multinational manufacturers have launched equipment almost simultaneously in the US and Brazil,” says Fernando Martins “Startups have developed new technologies for the industry but some of these innovations are yet to be proven useful and functional on the ground.” While there is still much to be done in Brazil in terms of connection infrastructure and interoperability—the two biggest obstacles to bringing Brazilian agriculture into the 4.0 era—digital transformation in farming is steadily progressing efficiency gains will largely translate into improved financial health for corporations digital agriculture will help farmers sustainably increase food supply at affordable prices “The world population is expected to reach approximately 9.8 billion people in 2050,” says Silvia Massruhá of EMBRAPA “Brazil will need to produce 40% more food to meet growing demand New technology and digital transformation will play an important role to this end,” she says São Martinho The São Martinho Farm Operation Center in Pradópolis a sugar and ethanol company based in Pradópolis one of the largest sugarcane producers in the world developed advanced infrastructure in 2019 combining 4G internet networks with Internet of Things (IoT) applications created in collaboration with the Center for Telecommunications Research & Development (CPQD) in Campinas (SP) uses Long Term Evolution (LTE) transmission technology optimized for remote areas allowing 4G signals to reach a radius of up to 30 kilometers from the radio base stations Data transmitted to the Farm Operation Center (COA) are stored in a big data warehouse for processing and integration with other systems such as management software and productivity maps showing production data for individual fields technology and innovation manager at São Martinho and trucks are equipped with an Intelligent Vehicle Terminal (IVT) that captures and transmits the data and voice information generated by dozens of onboard sensors and equipment An ITV functions as a Wi-Fi hotspot and can be used to connect tablets or the ability of the different systems involved to exchange information with each other is supported by an open-source IoT software system Maccheroni says that a range of different tools using artificial intelligence and machine-learning technologies are already being developed within an ecosystem created by São Martinho to devise new solutions for each stage of the production process One opportunity that has already been identified is in sugarcane transportation from cane fields to the mill The company’s fleet of approximately 100 trucks travels 46,000 km each day allowing its geographic location to be tracked and optimal routes to be planned São Martinho plans to implement 4G networks at its six other plants over the coming two years can provide savings of between R$48 million and R$72 million per year says Maccheroni.Fast-track finishing A cattle farm in northern São Paulo gets a productivity boost from precision agriculture The process of herding cattle for slaughter provides a good illustration of the level of automation at the Santa Rosa farm in Altair The operation begins with animals leaving the corral through a narrow alley Before an animal boards the truck that will take it to the meatpacking plant an employee places an electronic wand near its ear tag information about the bull is displayed on a computer screen A software system analyzes the information and instantly tells the operator whether the animal is ready for slaughter another employee operates a crank that remotely opens a gate leading to the truck; if the animal has not reached the right weight The entire process takes less than a minute The Santa Rosa farm is owned by Agropastoril Paschoal Campanelli that is intensively using precision livestock technology in feedlot operations—where cattle are fed rations rather than being allowed to range freely in pasture as is more common in Brazil The company purchases feeder cattle weighing approximately 400 kilograms and resells them four months later at an average of 570 kg the finishing process takes seven to eight months the better for the business,” says Marcelo Campanelli The Santa Rosa farm has a feedlot capacity to accommodate 21,500 animals In 2019 the company sold 75,000 head of cattle a figure that should increase to 100,000 this year “We have lots of intelligence embedded in our operations from preparing the feed rations delivered to animals through monitoring animal health and how much they are eating from the feed bunks to the optimal timing for slaughter,” says Victor Campanelli “The property has automatic cattle-weighing systems feed bunks with electronic sensors that indicate how much each group of animals has eaten and cameras to monitor the herd from a distance Our feed ration factory is fully automated.” The Campanelli use the 200 metric tons of manure produced each day on the farm in an environmentally sustainable manner The material is taken to a composting yard and transformed into organic fertilizer which is then applied in sugarcane and maize plantations owned by the company “This reduces our requirement for chemical fertilizers by 50% and saves us several million reais,” says Marcelo Campanelli “We use circular economy principles on our properties.”Rural big brother Technology is creating new opportunities for soybean farmers in Mato Grosso Terra Santa Agro Machines harvesting cotton on a Terra Santa Agro farm in Mato GrossoTerra Santa Agro Precision farming using information technology is working a transformation at Terra Santa Agro which owns seven properties in Mato Grosso implemented SolinfNet—a farm connectivity system developed by agricultural automation firm Solinftec—on its Mãe Margarida farm in 2016 telemetry data from 41 tractors and machines on the farm which has 13,000 hectares (ha) of cropland can be monitored in real time from the farm office The information has also been integrated with two other systems: a farm management and planning system from Gatec and an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system from Totvs “What we have today is like rural big brother We know exactly what each machine operator is doing at any given time and are able to act immediately if anything goes off plan or if changes in weather conditions require us to replan farm operations,” says Márcio Ferreira has singly generated fuel savings of approximately 6% and total cost savings of R$ 3.9 million per harvest The connectivity system will now be expanded to the company’s other farms two of which should be connected by the next season Terra Santa’s biggest priority is to improve control of planting operations in each of the two yearly planting seasons “We have a short window of time to plant the first crop and there are a number of variables that need to be controlled A mistake costing a few days could compromise planning for the next crop,” says Ferreira © Revista Pesquisa FAPESP - All rights reserved The Miss Queen Madeira gala takes place today taking place in the gardens of the Centro Cívico de São Martinho culminating in a moment of solidarity in favor of APPDA-Madeira the social solidarity institution that will be supported is our institutional partner in the event that elects the representative of Madeira who then competes in addition to the parade of the 14 finalists we will also have the presence of the prestigious violinist Joana Quintal says the organization in a statement addressed to the newsrooms whose urgency has been talked about continuously which presents the connection between Campo da Barca and the new hospital It will include distribution areas in São Martinho São Pedro and Santa Maria Maior and is almost on the border with Santo António The Regional Government itself concluded that there was a need to relieve traffic congestion at the entrances and exits of the expressway a growing problem that is taking on proportions of systematic traffic jams Albuquerque made known the need for the new tunnel work to be transversal to Funchal and in the JM sketch – by the hand of graphic designer Lucy Martins – the new route actually starts in São Martinho ‘catching’ the density of the entire area of ​​São Martinho here on the borders with São Roque and Imaculado From Jornal Madeira I’m curious as to the motive for such an enormous (and hugely expensive) civil construction project Has the working population of the island (and specifically the Funchal area) grown so much that this is necessary If it’s tourist related traffic contributing to increased traffic encourage tour companies (and tourists in hire cars) to travel outside the traditional rush hour I fear (without any proof of course) that this is just another project to keep the big construction companies busy… “And it all makes work for the working man to do Especially before elections should be distracted Much more important would be the ferry to the mainland You should only choose parties that guarantee the use of the ferry The little 8 year old who tragically died at the weekend on the final stage of the Rally will be laid to rest tomorrow morning at 9.30 am in São Martinho fulfill the painful duty of participating in the death of their late relative a resident who went to Escadinhas das Fontes Nélio Mendonça at 8:45 am to the chapel of Nossa Senhora das Angústias cemetery The family appreciates all the expressions of condolence of all who accompany them in this moment of pain and thanks all the people who attend the funeral asking them to wear white clothes when attending the funeral The executive and the entire population of Serra de Água regret and express their great sorrow and consternation for the death of the girl Yasmin Victória dos Santos victim of the fatal accident that occurred in this parish those who were directly involved and who watched the tragedy closely our solidarity for the deep and impactful sadness experienced We wish you all to find comfort in your hearts so that you can accept and overcome the pain of such a great and tragic loss Rest in peace little one.Love sent to all the family.xxxxx But the parents need to be accountable for the death of their child when they knew that shouldn’t across the road at all As far if they are thinking asking compensation from Madeira Rally then they are showing their true colours indeed I’m not saying for one moment that the parents of the young child should not face some kind of judgement but what do you suggest I don’t suppose any of the actions I have written will be any worse than their grief at this time But if it makes you and the other harridan feel better I just hope an avoidable accident never comes your way LEROY MERLIN will open on October 1st a store in São Martinho the first LEROY MERLIN commercial space in the archipelago which will provide Madeirans with a wide and diverse range of products and services LEROY MERLIN Funchal will bring to the Madeira archipelago a new space dedicated to providing its Customers with a range of products is part of the implementation of LEROY MERLIN’s Multiconcept strategy medium and large commercial spaces that complement each other and are supported by the online channel LEROY MERLIN has been present in Portugal since 2003 and currently has around 50 stores across the country organized by different concepts with which it offers a differentiated shopping experience adapted to Inhabitants and Customers the process of convergence of the companies AKI and LEROY MERLIN began These insignias operate as a single organizational structure – LEROY MERLIN – and with a new business model that unites the two companies and brands The opening of LEROY MERLIN Funchal is thus another step taken in the Company’s expansion plan AKI Funchal will close its doors on September 30th at 1pm With the arrival of LEROY MERLIN in Funchal and with the creation of new jobs this store will contribute to local social and economic development and improve the Casa dos Inhabitants of the archipelago In addition to increasing the diversity of products and services available LEROY MERLIN Funchal will also integrate the entire team that used to be at AKI Funchal ready to be helpful and give Inhabitants all the specialized support they may need On the 30th of October there will be a small internal ceremony which will be attended by the Employees of the store and some representatives of LEROY MERLIN at national level with the opening of LEROY MERLIN Funchal to the public on the 1st of October From Jornal Madeira Funchal City Council published a list of 28 buildings or units that are vacant This is the fourth list of degraded or abandoned properties drawn up by the municipality in recent years Now almost all parishes in the municipality are covered – Imaculado Coração de Maria What could happen to this private heritage which is intended to prepare for a possible 30% increase in Municipal Property Tax (IMI) for buildings that are in poor condition an urban building or autonomous unit that is unoccupied for a year is considered vacant Signs of vacancy are the lack of contracts in force with telecommunications and water gas and electricity supply companies and the lack of invoicing for the consumption of these services To the owners of the buildings included in this list the Funchal City Council gives a period of 10 days to exercise the right to a prior hearing invoking some of the exceptions provided for in Decree-Law no an urban building or autonomous unit intended for housing for short periods on beaches Buildings where rehabilitation works certified by the municipalities are taking place or whose construction was completed or the issuance of a use license took place less than a year ago cannot be considered vacant Properties acquired for resale also escape this classification as long as they have benefited or will benefit from exemption from municipal tax on onerous property transfers and during a period of three years counting from the date of acquisition Residence in the national territory of a Portuguese emigrant or Portuguese citizen who carries out work abroad in the service of the Portuguese State international organizations or functions of recognized public interest cannot be considered vacant either If the owners are unable to prove any of these exceptions the Funchal City Council draws up the definitive list of vacant buildings and communicates it to the Tax and Customs Authority which will deal with the application of the increased IMI rate The Municipal Property Tax Code (CIMI) determines that revenues obtained from the increase in this tax can only be used by municipalities to finance municipal housing policies From Diário Notícias This happened in Sicily some years ago and surprise surprise many of these buildings were sold or renovated it got family’s to take action and agree to act so a big positive in my view I saw a tv programme about this where houses were sold for €1 but had to be renovated I can’t remember what other conditions of use applied So a property is recognised as abandoned and the owners cannot be found this is passed onto the tax authorities who increase the IMI rate telling us this tax can only be used by municipalities to finance municipal housing policies Understandable but tax will not be paid because no one knows who or where the owners are is there no way the properties can be taken over and used as municipal housing Well at least they doing something in Madeira the same cant be said in Sintra council that owns so many buildings in Sintra historic area and many of them are complete abandoned without any maintenance o even done up Why doesn’t the local authority purchase the property renovate it and then use it for homeless people there are homeless and there are people/families without a home for various reasons sharing with families or friends and trying to find a home As long as they are in front of the queue The circunstances why there are homeless people are deeper than just not having a “home” Some of the homeless people have homes and the ones that don’t could live in public buildings/institutions but don’t want to Their deeper problems need to be solved before having a building to live not all of the 127 “homeless “ previously reported fall into those categories Those with home but beg as a form of living should be dealt with differently Others may have mental problems which needs solving but I suspect housing is one of them Surely Maslow’s hierarchy of needs applies to most if not all people The aerial images captured by DIÁRIO show that more than half of the Jerónimo Martins warehouse was charred due to the fire that broke out on Saturday night Despite the fact that a large part of the infrastructure burned down it is likely that the entire warehouse was affected due to the rapid spread of the fire which generated a large apparatus and mobilized four fire brigades to the site but there is still a lot of smoke in the place some houses had to be evacuated due to the proximity of the fire and the PSP created a security perimeter to keep the many people who went to the area to see the fire away a team of Firefighters Sapadores do Funchal continues From Diário Notícias The best Portuguese beaches to visit in 2019 / Pixabay Editorial Team 9 July 2019, 19:37The heat is on... instead of complaining, why not pack your suitcase and make the most of it by discovering Portugal's best beaches? It’s difficult to decide where because there are so many options of beautiful and special beaches, bathed by the cool waters of the Atlantic. Here are some of the best beaches in Portugal for your summer holiday in 2019. Sāo Miguel island / Wikimedia commonsThe Azores islands captivate thousands of tourists every year and one of the most successful destinations is the islet of Vila Franca do Campo. Opposite the island of São Miguel, an ancient underwater volcano helped to shape this pearl of the Atlantic. Its circular shape creates the perfect climate for a natural pool where the favourite pastimes are swimming and diving. Getting to this beach isn’t easy as it’s on a very small island, but if you want to spend an unforgettable afternoon in this paradise in the Azores, rent a boat and sail out to this little bay. It's well worth the effort! Praia das Crianças / Wikimedia commonsIf you’re looking for somewhere to take young children for a swim, Praia das Crianças (Children's Beach) is the perfect option. Within the bay of São Martinho do Porto, the waves don’t reach the beach which makes this beach perfect for children, who can bathe without problems. In addition to restaurants specialising in fish and seafood, another of the great attractions of this beach is the wooden walkway that crosses the entire bay. Don't miss the opportunity to take a walk and discover the other beaches in the area. Wild beach in Sintra / Wikimedia commonsAccess to this beach is kind of difficult and dangerous, but Praia da Ursa rewards indomitable adventurers with its wild and natural beauty. It will be a real challenge to reach this magical corner of Sintra. The access route is long and quite tricky, so plan ahead as it will take at least an hour's walk from your car to this pristine beach. When you get there, though, you can lay out your towel on the expanse of sand, relax and enjoy one of the country's most coveted beaches. Portimāo beach / Wikimedia commonsMany believe that this is the most famous beach in Portugal, offering not only beautiful surroundings but a wide range of leisure facilities too. The word Portimão is synonymous with ‘holidays’, and the inviting climate and various organised leisure activities make this city a dream destination. Among the places you absolutely can’t miss in Portimão is Praia da Rocha beach. With its refreshing waters and fine golden sand, here you can find the perfect way to enjoy the environment, landscapes and huge variety of restaurants, bars, discos and entertainment. Wonderful Lagos beach / Wikimedia commonsAmong the cliffs of the Costa D'Ouro, nature offers up the most picturesque beach in the Algarve, Praia da Dona Ana. Situated in a small bay with high cliffs which block the wind, this beach has fine, golden sand which combines perfectly with the calm, crystal clear waters. If you want to make memories that will stay with you and your family forever, be sure to visit the Praia da Dona Ana this summer 2019. Carnation Revolution: Portugal's Freedom Day On 25th April Portugal underwent a fundamental transformation known as the Carnation Revolution This pivotal event marked the end of the Estado Novo dictatorship and the start of Portugal's path to democracy The day is celebrated annually as Freedom Day to honour this peaceful transition and the newfound era of freedom and democracy.