Agro breaks export record in the semester, driven by meat and soy
Brazilian agribusiness exports reached a record US$87 billion in the first half of 2026, driven mainly by the performance of meat, soy and cotton.
According to data from Mapa (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply), the result was sustained by the increase in the volume shipped of various products, despite the drop in international prices of some commodities, such as sugar and coffee.
China remained the main destination for foreign sales in the sector, accounting for 35.1% of exports, with purchases of US$30.5 billion, an increase of 10.5% compared to the same period last year. The European Union and the United States appear next among the main markets.
Soybeans remained the main product in the agricultural export basket, registering record volume, with 69.6 million tons shipped in the semester, an increase of 7.1% over the same period in 2025.
Exports of fresh beef also reached historic highs, totaling US$9.1 billion, an increase of 38.5%, and 1.5 million tons, an increase of 16.2%.
Fresh chicken meat also presented a record performance, with exports of US$5 billion, an increase of 17.8%, and 2.5 million tons, an increase of 13.7%. Japan, the European Union and China accounted for more than 78% of the expansion in protein sales in the semester.
Another highlight was soybean meal, which generated US$4.6 billion, an increase of 14.8%, with a record 12.7 million tons shipped. Iran was the market that most expanded its purchases of Brazilian products, with an increase of 571.3% compared to the first half of 2025.
Cotton exports also reached the highest value in the historical series for the period, totaling US$ 2.8 billion, an increase of 12.5%, driven by the 21.4% increase in exported volume.
China was the main destination, with 160% growth in purchases. Corn completed the list of highlights, with exports of US$ 1.7 billion, an increase of 20.6%, favored by the increase in shipments to Vietnam and Egypt.
In the opposite direction, some of the main products on the agenda registered a decline. Green coffee exports fell in the main consumer markets, such as the United States, the European Union and Japan.
Raw sugar saw a 24.5% drop in revenue, reflecting the 21.9% reduction in the average international price and a slight decrease in the volume shipped. Cellulose also showed a 4% drop in exported value due to the lower quantity sold, despite the increase in average prices.
In total, the first half of 2026 registered historic export records for several agribusiness products, including soybeans in grains (volume), beef, pork and chicken (value and quantity), cotton, soybean meal, live cattle, instant coffee, DDG, rice, mangoes and corn oil, highlighting the diversification of the Brazilian export basket.
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Source: CNN