BRAZIL SOYBEAN YIELDS SEEN AVERAGE - USDA REPORT Based on field travel in the Brazilian state of Parana, soybean yields should be about average or 2.0 to 2.2 tonnes per hectare, the U.S. Agriculture Department's officer in Sao Paulo said in a field report. The report, dated March 24, noted Parana accounts for about 20 to 24 pct of Brazil's total soybean crop. It said generally favorable weather from early December through February helped compensate for earlier dryness. However, hot, dry weather during the past 20 to 30 days followed by an unseasonably brief cold spell during the second week of march has raised concern about late planted soybeans which are still immature, but the impact may be localized, the report said. The corn crop is expected to be a record and will create serious storage problems, the report said. Due to favorable support prices, corn area increased by more than 25 pct at the expense of soybeans, and yields are expected to be above average, it said. Due to late plantings only about 20 pct of the corn crop crop has been harvested. During the field trip long truck lines were noted at grain elevators where preference is given to soybeans over corn, the report said. New crop wheat plantings are expected to decline -- Parana accounts for about 60 pct of total production. Major reasons for the decline are expected reduced government support price and good summer crop harvests.