Brazil Faces Challenging Corn Export Season as It Harvests Bumper Crop

By Roberto Samora

SAO PAULO, July 8 (Reuters) – Brazil’s corn exports are set to face new challenges this year as the shipping season starts with possible logistics issues, China making fewer purchases and strong competition expected from the United States, analysts told Reuters.

Corn exports for 2024/25 are set to increase in volume, they said, but could face bottlenecks as they will have to compete for space in ports if China’s demand for Brazil’s record soybean crop remains firm in the second half of 2025.

Brazil’s corn production this season is expected to total 128.3 million metric tons, according to government projections, an 11% jump from the previous season cycle.

Consultancy StoneX estimates Brazilian exports at 42 million tons, exceeding last season’s 38.5 million tons.

China, a large buyer of Brazilian corn in 2022 and 2023, needs fewer imports after a bumper harvest, said StoneX analyst Raphael Bulascoschi, adding that the United States could also have a record crop, competing with Brazil in external markets.

“We have an exportable surplus, but we will need to find buyers,” Bulascoschi said.

Brazil’s shipments will have to rely on demand from countries like Iran, Egypt and Vietnam, Itau BBA analyst Francisco Queiroz said. He noted, however, that they do not have the same volume capacity as China.

(Reporting by Roberto Samora; Writing by Fabio Teixeira; Editing by Mark Porter)