9to5 Mac Reports today that following on from much speculation over the past few months, Foxconn is to start making iPads at its new plant near Sao Paulo, Brazil, by late August/Early September of this year. The news comes from Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology, Aloizio Mercadante, who spoke to Brazilian newspaper Globo on the matter, telling them that production had been due to start earlier, but Foxconn had experienced delays due to the equipment that was needed to drain the production plant in Jundiai not being available in time. The minister goes on to say that there is a shortage of skilled labour in Brazil, with Foxconn hiring 175 engineers and then having to fly them over to China for training. Apparently this number is short of the 200 engineers actually required to do the job.

9to5 Mac says that according to the report, the move to production in Brazil will have an immediate impact for Brazilian consumers with a 40% reduction in price for the iPad, which will presumably be passed onto them, due to the fact that the Brazilian government doesn’t tax domestically produced goods.

Source: Brazilian iPad production begins in late August or early September | 9 to 5 Mac | Apple Intelligence