by PressWorld’s largest soybean exporter expects record crop
World’s largest soybean exporter boosts supplies
FAS estimates that Brazil will harvest a record oilseed crop in the 2025-2026 marketing year. The world’s largest soybean exporter will not only increase production, but will also be able to raise shipments to foreign markets.
Brazil accounts for 40% of global soybean production. Analysts are forecasting a 2% growth in the harvest to 173 million tonnes. This will be helped by an expansion in acreage and favourable weather conditions.
Exports of soybeans will rise to 112 million tonnes, up 3% on the previous season. Brazil is twice as important as the United States in terms of supplying the external market. The latter is the world’s second-largest exporter of soybeans.
Demand for soybeans
The increase in supply will also help to stimulate demand for the product:
1. According to forecasts, demand for soybeans on the world market will continue to grow.
2. China will be the key importer of beans, accounting for the bulk of demand.
3. Tensions between China and the US will boost imports from Brazil.
It is worth noting that China is implementing various initiatives to reduce its dependence on the purchase of grains and oilseeds. However, the country is not yet able to fully meet its population’s needs with its resources. It is therefore too early to talk about reducing imports.
The EU remains one of the key markets for Brazil. It accounts for about 14% of soybean and derivative shipments. In general, Brazil is a favourable exporter due to the exchange rate of its currency. The country’s economy is stagnating, keeping the real at a relatively low level.
Brazil has increased the area under soybean cultivation to meet the growing global demand. Soybean acreage has grown by 20% in four years. Analysts expect more acreage to be planted in the future. This will be facilitated by a government programme to convert depleted pastureland to agricultural use.
CONAB estimates that soybean acreage will reach 56 million hectares by the 2032-2033 crop year. At the same time, production will increase to around 187 million tonnes.
Other crop production overview
In the 2024-2025 season, Brazil’s grain harvest was more than 322 million tonnes. This figure is 8% higher than the previous season’s results. Last season, farmers harvested a record 120 million tonnes of maize. This year, farmers are aiming to surpass that result, and forecasts confirm this possibility.
The development of Brazil’s agricultural sector is largely due to the country’s favourable climate and vast land resources. These factors make it possible to produce up to three harvests a year. In addition, the diversity of climatic zones makes it possible to plant crops at different times of the year.