BRAZIL SUSPENDS IMPORT OF 500,000 TONNES MAIZE Brazil has suspended the importation of 500,000 tonnes of maize ordered last year because of the excellent domestic maize harvest expected this year, Agriculture Minister Iris Resende said. The Agriculture Ministry expects a record maize crop of 27.7 mln tonnes, a 36 pct increase on last year's crop of 20.3 mln tonnes. Brazil's total grain crop is expected to be 65.3 mln tonnes. "This is a record in the history of Brazilian agriculture," a ministry spokesman said. Resende announced suspension of the maize imports at a news conference in Brasilia yesterday. The ministry spokesman said he had no other details on the maize transaction.