Precarious infrastructure is a threat to the soy market

According to the Brazilian Association of Soy Producers, even with the positive results of the last soybean crop in the country, the main problem that the producers are now facing is the lack of structure for transporting the grain.

The President of the Association, Glauber Silveira, has said that the Port of Paranaguá, on the coast of Paraná, is not able to export even one ton more than the volume which is already exported each year. The long queues of lorries that form for offloading the harvest in the port of Paranaguá are also the results of the deficient port structure.

“In the case of the port of Paranaguá, there is a need for expansion, a need for greater speed. (…) This is a port that is falling far short of what it should have as an extension”, the President said.

Infrastructure problems cause not only an increase of about 15% in the value of freight for transporting the crop, but also low competitiveness of Brazil in comparison with other soy producing countries. Paraguay, Argentina and the United States are gaining market participation at the expense of Brazil, which is currently the world’s second largest producer of soy in the world.

“We have the whole world wanting our production and our ports are totally precarious, only with roads. We do not have railways and we are not making use of any of the waterways in this country”, said Mr. Silveira.