Record Number of Grain Trucks at Brazilian Port of Paranagua

Brazil produced record soybean and corn crops in 2022/23 resulting in logistical challenges throughout the transportation system. The Brazilian Association of Grain Exporters (Anec) is expecting record grain exports in 2023 which is already being registered at Brazilian ports.

Officials at the Port of Paranagua in the state of Parana in southeastern Brazil, which is Brazil’s second largest port, reported that they received a record number of grain trucks during a 24-hour period. In the 24-hour period ending at 7:00 AM Wednesday, July 5th, the port received 2,456 grain trucks delivering soybeans, soybean meal, and corn.

Of the total, 1,414 trucks were transporting soybeans (57.6%), 548 were transporting corn (20.3%), and 494 were transporting soybean meal (20.1%).

The record number of deliveries to the public export corridor were handled in an efficient and orderly fashion, which is in sharp contrast to prior years. In recent years, the port has instituted a computerized system which notifies truckers when they will be allowed to enter the port. If an unauthorized truck arrives at the port, it will be denied entry.

Before the current system was put in place, grain trucks arrived at will resulting in lines of trucks many kilometers long waiting for entry. Currently, truckers must wait at staging areas in the interior of the state of Parana until they are called in by the computerized system. This has completely eliminated any lines of trucks waiting to enter the port.

The soybean harvest was completed several months ago and the safrinha corn harvest is approximately 20% complete. Brazilian farmers had been slow sellers of their 2022/23 soybeans due to declining prices, which delayed some of the early deliveries to the port. Additionally, heavy rains during February resulted in mudslides on the main highway leading to the port delaying grain deliveries even more.

Recent soybean price increases have encouraged farmers to resume selling their soybeans and now exporters are rushing to get the grain to Brazilian ports.

Tags: soybean meal, crop, Port of Paranagua, transportation, ports, trucks, corn, export, grain, Brazil, soybean