This year's soybean harvest leads to record freight prices

The flow of Brazilian soybeans, which normally takes over freight services during harvest periods, is this time raising transport prices to record levels. Prices for grain movement in Mato Grosso, the largest oilseed producing state, reached the highest values ​​in the historical series in January, and are expected to reach even higher levels this February. The information is from the Logistics Bulletin of the National Supply Company (Conab), released last Friday (18/02).

With 2,45 million tons of exports recorded in January this year alone, soybeans also reached record revenue, reaching US$1,24 billion last month. “Market information indicates a growing global demand for the oilseed, due to the resumption of production and consumption of animal protein in the world, which indicates a reduction in the stock/consumption ratio of soybeans in 2022”, says the Logistics Superintendent Conab Operations Officer, Thomé Guth. “And Brazilian exports in January 2022 were historic in both revenue and shipments for this period of the year.”

According to the monthly survey carried out by Conab to monitor the most relevant routes of logistics corridors originating in producing states, the freight price charged in Mato Grosso increased by 41% on routes from Querência/MT to Araguari/MG and Colinas/TO in compared to January last year, reaching a value of R$270 per ton. Among the routes carried out, the most expensive is from Campo Novo/MT to the port of Santos/SP, quoted at R$430/t (monthly increase of 10% and 33% compared to Jan/21).

In Goiás, which became the second largest soybean producer in this harvest, after the drop recorded in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná, the anticipation of the soybean harvest in the main municipalities in January increased demand for trucks, marking the resumption of activities with strong grain movement. The most expensive route in January was from Rio Verde/GO to Imbituba/SC, quoted at R$250,50, an increase of 6% compared to Dec/21. In percentage terms, the biggest increase was in the stretch from Bom Jesus de Goiás to São Simão/GO, which went from R$67,50 to R$92, an increase of 36% in total.

The Conab Logistics Bulletin also highlights the data collected on freight values ​​in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná and Distrito Federal, in addition to the quantities sold in the main exporting ports. In this edition, the study also provides information on Brazilian imports of fertilizers, which in January were greatly influenced by geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Check out the full analysis of Logistics Bulletin - February/2022, available on the Company's website.