Brazil Soybean Transportation: Existing Infrastructure Challenged by Record Brazilian Soybean Crop

摘要

Brazil's record soybean harvest is expected to reach 67.8 million metric tons (mt), 18.7 percent higher than the 2008/2009 levels, leading to congestion at truck unloading export terminal facilities at the ports of Santos, Paranagua, and Rio Grande, especially during the month of March. More than half of the soybean exports are shipped through these ports. Truck rates typically rise during the first half of the year as a result of the soybean harvest season, but this year the first quarter 2010 cost of shipping a metric ton of soybeans 100 miles by truck increased 37 percent to $9.98 from $7.28 during the 1st quarter of 2009, surpassing the peak of $9.87 reached in the same period in 2008. During this quarter, Brazilian farmers received lower prices due to the drop in international soybean prices and the 22 percent appreciation of the Real against the U.S. dollar. Producers were holding soybean sales in the hope of higher prices, but they will be forced to sell during the second quarter as the sugar cane and corn harvest approaches, putting pressure on truck demand and farm storage capacity. During the first quarter of the year, 65 percent of the Brazil soybean production is harvested and on average, about 14 percent of the crop is exported.