bushel is a agrarian measure used for solids, such as grain storage capacity, or for surfaces, such as to measure the extent of a farm.
Used only in the rural environment, and not in urban areas, the bushel as a surface measure varies according to the region of Brazil.
In São Paulo, the so-called alqueire paulista is equivalent to 24,200 square meters, or 2.42 hectares, to use the most common agrarian measure, the hectare (ha).
The other bushel measurements in Brazil are as follows:
- Alqueire do Norte: 1 (one) bushel is equivalent to 2.72 ha or 27,225 m2
- Alqueire Mineiro: 1 alqueire is equivalent to 4.84 ha or 48,400 m2
- Alqueire Baiano: 1 alqueire is equivalent to 9.68 ha or 96,800 m2
O bushel of Paraná follows the same measure as alqueire paulista.
The origin of the term alqueire dates back to Colonial Brazil, when baskets called alqueire were used to transport grains such as corn and beans. Commercial transactions were based on the quantities of these baskets, with a variable value between 12.5 and 13.8 liters.
Later, the term bushel was retired for other measures such as kilograms or bags.
The word bushel has an Arabic root, comes from alquei le which means basket or bag to measure, originated from the verb shut up which is precisely to measure.
The term bushel is used in the Bible in its original sense, as a basket to measure grain. The biblical passage speaks of lighting the lamp under a bushel, which symbolically represents hiding the light.
See also the meaning of Hectare.