By Roberto Samora

SAO PAULO, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Brazil is expected to harvest 167.7 million tons of soybeans in the 2024/25 season, a record volume that should also catapult exports and domestic processing to record highs, according to a statement from oilseed lobby Abiove on Tuesday, in its first forecast for the ongoing season.

Brazilian farmers are currently planting their soy fields and Abiove estimates output in the world's largest producer and exporter to grow by 9.4% compared to the previous season, when the climate was not so beneficial.

Abiove's forecast is higher than the 166.14 million tons projected by Conab, Brazil's crop agency, which estimates lower yields than the soy trade group. Abiove sees soy yields at 3,615 kilograms per hectare while Conab estimates 3,508 kg per hectare, which partly explains the difference.

However, Conab says soy fields will cover 47.4 million hectares (117.13 million acres) this season, larger than the 46.4 million hectares estimated by Abiove, which warned its yield forecast is "conservative" and may be revised.

Brazil could also export a record 104.1 million tons this season, an increase of 5.9% compared to 2024 from Abiove's estimated 98.3 million tons in the previous cycle, the group said. The main buyer is usually China.

Crushers including Cargill and Bunge BG.N, which Abiove represents in Brazil, are forecast to collectively process a record 57 million tons of soybeans this season, an increase of 4.6% compared to the previous year, marking a new historic high.

Such soybean crushing levels push growth of soybean meal output, used as raw material for animal feed, and of soybean oil, used by the biodiesel and food industries.

Brazil's previous production record was 160.3 million tons in the 2022/23 cycle, according to Abiove data.

(Reporting by Roberto SamoraWriting by Ana Mano; editing by David Evans)

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