Brazil’s Arco Norte Ports See Reduced Grain Exports in 2023

In 2023, Brazil’s Arco Norte ports – Barcarena, Itaqui, Itacoatiara, and Santarém – experienced a decline in their share of soybean and corn exports.

The previous year, these ports had managed 33.8% of the country’s soybean exports and 41.6% of its corn shipments.

However, their share decreased despite leading in grain exports in 2022, with 37.6% for soybeans and 44.7% for corn.

A significant factor contributing to this decline was the low river levels in the Amazon basin. Drought conditions led the Negro and Solimões rivers to reach historic lows.

This situation forced exporters to redirect grain shipments, primarily from Mato Grosso and from Arco Norte, to southern ports.

Despite the drop in market share, Arco Norte ports didn’t see a decrease in overall volume. In 2023, they processed 34.4 million tons of soybeans and 23.6 million tons of corn.

These figures represent increases of 16.2% for soybeans and 20.6% for corn compared to the previous year.

On the other hand, southern ports in Brazil saw a rise in their share of soybean exports.

Ports such as Paranaguá, Rio Grande, and São Francisco do Sul increased their shares from 13%, 7.3%, and 4% in 2022 to 14.1%, 10.3%, and 4.9% in 2023.

São Francisco do Sul emerged as the third most significant port in corn exports, surpassing Paranaguá.

2023 it handled 4.56 million tons of corn, nearly tripling its volume from 2022. Paranaguá, meanwhile, managed 4.24 million tons of corn.

These changes in export dynamics illustrate a significant shift in Brazil’s agricultural export infrastructure.

Arco Norte’s reduced share underscores the impact of environmental factors on logistics, while the rise of southern ports highlights their growing importance in Brazil’s grain export sector.