Imports of fertilizers by Brazilian producers reached a record level last year, reaching 41,6 million tons between January and December 2021. This is what this month's Logistics Bulletin shows, released this Friday (28/01) by National Supply Company (Conab). Although the port of Paranaguá, in the state of Paraná, is still the main gateway for receiving the product, other routes have gained greater space. Santos, for example, registered an increase in the input of fertilizers directed to Mato Grosso and states in the Southeast and Center-West of around 53%, going from 6,6 million tons to 10,1 million tons.
“In times of high costs for these inputs, the sector tends to look for more accessible routes that cause less impact on the final sales price of fertilizers to rural producers”, highlights the superintendent of Operational Logistics, Thomé Guth.
The country's main grain producer, Mato Grosso was the state that imported the most in 2021, recording a volume of 8,0 million tons of fertilizers, the majority of which, through the ports of Santos and Paranaguá, “which demands a high transportation cost, considering the distance over 2000 km”, ponders Guth.
According to the published bulletin, the same behavior pointed out in Santos occurs in the ports of Arco Norte, which also had an increase in their participation in volume, especially aiming to serve the Matopiba Region (Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí and Bahia) and Mato Grosso . The volumes received in Santarém (PA), Barcarena (PA), Itacoatiara (AM) and Itaqui (MA) are equivalent to 29,1% of the volume imported to serve Mato Grosso, showing that the producer in this state has sought alternatives to reduce the logistical cost of this high-value-added product.
According to the Company's superintendent, with the greater participation of Arco Norte ports in the export of corn and soybeans, mainly, a greater movement of fertilizers was expected, since it is common to use the return freight modality, aiming to reduce of the logistics cost. “In other words, it moves towards the ports with the grains and returns to the producing regions with the fertilizers. This makes evident the importance of continuing with investments in the Arco Norte region and in the transport systems for these routes, not only aiming at the export of grains, but also in the imports of inputs, completing the logistical support of the production chain as as a whole, increasing national competitiveness”, highlights Guth.
The start of the soybean harvest has put pressure on freight prices in most states analyzed by Conab. According to the published bulletin, the rise in prices for transport services could be seen in Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Goiás at the end of last year. Furthermore, the increase in the price of diesel oil also influences the value charged in the market.
Paraná also registered an increase in prices charged in December, but the increase is justified by the lower supply of trucks, which were stopped due to the end of year festivities. The forecast is that prices will normalize in January, however, with the arrival of the new harvest, the reduction should not be very large.
In the Federal District, the market continues to operate with low volumes to be transported. The excessive supply of trucks in the period, combined with the low availability of products due to the off-season, forced prices down on most routes surveyed in December 2021, compared to the previous month. However, the performance of grain crops in the region remains positive, with the expectation that record levels of productivity will be reached.
Read the full analysis in the document available on Company Website.
Receive the latest agriculture news by email
Receive the latest agriculture news by email
