São Paulo agribusiness exports less, but maintains surplus in the first four months

São Paulo's agribusiness exported US$8,70 billion between January and April 2025. This figure represents a decrease of 11,6% compared to the same period in the previous year. Imports grew by 6,5% and totaled US$1,98 billion. As a result, the sector's trade surplus closed at US$6,72 billion, a decrease of 15,3%.

Even with the decline, the sector maintained a significant positive balance. The increase in exports of coffee (+63,7%), juices (+35%) and meats (+23,1%) helped to cushion the impact of the declines in the sugar and alcohol (-46,2%), soybean (-4,5%) and forestry products (-3,6%) groups.

The five main exporting groups — sugar and alcohol, meat, juices, forestry and soy — accounted for 72,7% of the total exported abroad. Coffee came next, with a 7,5% share. Beef led the meat sector. Orange juice accounted for almost all of the juice group's revenue.

China led the way as a destination, with a 20,3% share. It mainly purchased soybeans, meat and forestry products. The European Union and the United States followed. The US significantly increased its purchases of meat (+93%), forestry products (+59%) and coffee (+9%).

Agribusiness exports accounted for 40,7% of all that São Paulo sold abroad during the period. Imports from the sector accounted for 6,9% of the state's total. There was a decline in the share of agribusiness in the state's total exports, with a loss of 3,4 percentage points.

On the national scene, São Paulo led agribusiness exports, with a 16,5% share, ahead of Mato Grosso and Minas Gerais. Brazilian agribusiness as a whole exported US$52,74 billion, an increase of 1,4%, and imported US$6,87 billion, a positive balance of US$45,87 billion.