Brazilian agribusiness exports reached a record US$87 billion in the first half of 2026. Meat and soybeans helped drive the result, according to Agriculture Ministry figures released in July.
Soybeans and meat lead the gains
Soybeans remained the sector’s leading export product. Shipments reached a record 69.6 million tonnes, up 7.1% from the first half of 2025.
In addition, fresh beef exports generated US$9.1 billion, a rise of 38.5% in value. Volume reached 1.5 million tonnes, up 16.2% in the same annual comparison.
Meanwhile, fresh chicken meat sales totaled US$5 billion, an increase of 17.8%. Shipments reached 2.5 million tonnes, a gain of 13.7%.
Other products also recorded growth. Soybean meal exports earned US$4.6 billion, up 14.8%. Cotton reached US$2.8 billion, a rise of 12.5%, while corn brought in US$1.7 billion, up 20.6%.
China leads destinations for Brazilian agribusiness exports
China accounted for 35.1% of the sector’s overseas sales. Its purchases totaled US$30.5 billion, up 10.5% from the same period of 2025. The European Union and the United States followed among the main markets.
However, raw sugar export revenue fell 24.5%. Lower international prices and a smaller shipping volume explain the decline. Therefore, the overall record does not mean that every product recorded growth.
Dollar values measure export revenue, while tonnes measure the quantity shipped. For that reason, these two indicators can grow at different rates. The distinction helps readers understand the results for individual products.
Source: CNN Brasil, reporting Agriculture Ministry data. All figures describe the first half of 2026.
Correction, September 19, 2026: the beef volume comparison refers to the first half of 2025, rather than the immediately preceding six-month period.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.