Brazilian Agribusiness Reached 28.4 million Employed People
Argentina was again declared free of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in commercial poultry production, after controlling an outbreak which happened in early 2026. The sanitary status is relevant for resuming and maintaining poultry exports, although authorities continue to monitor backyard and subsistence birds. (Government of Argentina)
Argentina’s government adopted “Fiscal Innocence” measures to encourage the formalization of dollar savings and expand the use of the financial system. The program eases reporting requirements and seeks to reduce barriers to dollar deposits in a country marked by mistrust of the banking system. (Central Bank)
The Government increased fuel taxes starting on May 1st, including diesel. The measure comes amid strong pressure on agribusiness costs: Confederación Intercooperativa Agropecuaria Cooperativa Limitada, an organization representing Argentine agricultural cooperatives, said diesel rose 25% in the local market and is a critical input for planting, harvesting and transport, making 2026/27 wheat production more expensive. (Government of Argentina; Coninagro)
The Argentine Rural Society requested to join as a third party in the case filed by the General Confederation of Labor against the Labor Modernization Law, seeking to prevent its suspension. The organization supports the reform and argues that halting the rule would undermine legal predictability, raise production costs and affect formal job creation in the agricultural sector. (Argentine Rural Society)
Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture, André de Paula, said the 2026/27 Harvest Plan [Brazilian Government’s agricultural financing plan] should pay “special attention” to interest rates and take into account farmers’ high debt levels. According to the Minister, the government is assessing an increase in the program’s funding compared with the previous cycle and may use debt-renegotiation tools to ease financial pressure in the sector. (MAPA)
The Federal Government extended until December 20th, 2026, the deadline for family farmers to join Desenrola Rural, a program for debt regularization and easier access to rural credit. The measure allows debts to be renegotiated or settled under facilitated conditions, includes National Program for Strengthening Family Farming loans contracted between 2012 and 2022 with constitutional fund resources, and provides repayment terms of up to ten years. (Federal Government)
Marfrig and BRF completed the creation of Sadia Halal, a joint venture focused on halal protein production and distribution in the Middle East. The new company has an estimated enterprise value of US$ 2.07 billion and may be listed on the Riyadh stock exchange. (BRF; Marfrig)
The vice president of Brazil’s Agricultural Parliamentary Front, Tereza Cristina, said at least US$ 36.40 billion would be needed to begin the renegotiation of rural debts in Brazil, while the government had offered about US$ 16.18 billion in remaining Harvest Plan funds. According to the senator, “stressed” rural debts exceed US$ 161.76 billion, and the proposal under discussion still depends on defining new funding sources. (FPA)
The Brazilian Beef Exporters Association estimates Brazil’s beef export quota to China could be exhausted between late May and mid-June if the current shipment pace continues. According to the president of the organization, Roberto Perosa, if the surplus is not redirected to the domestic market or other destinations, Brazilian beef exports could fall by about 10% in 2026, putting pressure on the live cattle market. (ABIEC)
Agribusiness reached a record of 28.4 million employed people in 2025, up 2.2% from 2024. Growth was driven by agribusiness services, inputs and agroindustry, while average income in the sector rose 3.9% and total payroll increased 7.2%. (CNA; Cepea)
Cooperatives in the State of Santa Catarina posted US$ 21.37 million in revenue in 2025, up 15.8% from the previous year. The agricultural branch led revenues, with US$ 12.74 billion, or 60% of the total, while also accounting for 62% of direct jobs and exporting US$ 2.18 billion in products such as cereals, animal proteins, fertilizers, dairy products and fruit. (Organization of Cooperatives of the State of Santa Catarina)
The Olive Farmers of the Mantiqueira Foothills and Southeast Brazil Association officially launched the 2026 Origin Certification Seal for olive oil produced in the region, requiring physico-chemical analyses and sensory evaluations by specialists. The measure seeks to ensure extra virgin classification, strengthen consumer confidence and differentiate Brazilian brands in a market dominated by imported products. (Assoolive)
Armac, a yellow-line machinery rental company, sees agribusiness as a key growth front: the sector already accounts for 30% of its rented fleet, or 3,600 of the company’s 12,000 assets. According to Mairon Karr, head of Business and Operations, high interest rates, tighter credit, and cost pressures are making equipment rental more attractive for farms, mills, agroindustries, and logistics operations, particularly by reducing capital tied up in machinery, maintenance costs, and the risk of idle equipment. (Armac)
Luis Felli, global head of Massey Ferguson and senior VP at AGCO Corporation, said Brazilian agribusiness needs lower interest rates more than subsidies. According to Felli, a benchmark Selic rate [the country’s basic interest rate] between 6% and 7% would have a greater impact than rural credit programs, amid falling commodity prices, high interest rates and declining agricultural machinery sales. (AGCO Corporation)
StoneX raised the estimate for Brazil’s 2025/26 soybean harvest to 181.62 million tonnes, which would represent a record and a 7.6% annual increase, as the harvesting is nearly complete. The consulting firm also revised corn production estimate upward to about 137 million tonnes, although still below the nearly 140 million tonnes harvested in the previous season. (StoneX Consulting)
Embrapa, in partnership with the Federal University of Ceará, developed a new method for analyzing cohesive soils that resulted in a patent granted by Brazil’s National Institute of Industrial Property. The technology uses light to study the soil, combined with wetting and drying cycles, enabling faster, cheaper analyses with no waste generation. (Embrapa)
The Ministry of Agriculture cleared 14.64 million doses of clostridial vaccines in March and April of 2026, following emergency actions with the veterinary inputs industry. The measure seeks to mitigate supply impacts and accelerate production, imports, inspection and release of the vaccines. (MAPA)
San Clemente Fruits appointed Andrés Izquierdo as its new corporate general manager. The executive will lead the agro-exporter company, which has more than 3,500 hectares in Chile, Peru, Colombia and the UK, with sales above US$ 180 million. (San Clemente Fruits)
Colombia temporarily suspended imports of live birds, eggs, meat, fat, genetic material and other poultry products from Chile, after outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the country. According to the Colombian Agricultural Institute, the measure seeks to protect Colombia’s sanitary status and will remain in force until the Chilean outbreak has officially ended. (ICA)
Agricultural, food and beverage exports totaled US$ 1.3 billion in March of 2026, down 6.8% from the same month a year earlier, despite a 20.9% increase in the country’s total exports. The decline was driven by lower shipments of unroasted coffee (-29.1%) and cocoa beans (-92.4%), according to the National Administrative Department of Statistics. (DANE)
The Ministry of Agriculture began direct purchases of paddy rice from registered farmers on May 4th. The measure provides direct payments to farmers and prices of US$ 34 per 205-pound sack for short-grain rice and US$ 36 for long-grain rice, with more than 7,000 farmers included in the process. (Ministry of Agriculture)
Paraguay is conducting a foot-and-mouth disease simulation exercise from May 3rd to 8th to assess the response capacity of the National Animal Quality and Health Service in the event of a potential outbreak. According to sanitary authorities, the country has the technical conditions to stop vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease, while the exercise aims to test coordination among public institutions, private stakeholders and veterinary services. (Senacsa)
BrasilAgro announced the sale of 921 hectares of Morotí Farm, in Paraguay, for US$ 1.5 million. Of this total, 501.5 hectares are considered productive land. The deal reinforces the company’s strategy of acquiring, developing, and selling rural properties in South America. (BrasilAgro)
StoneX estimated the country’s 2025/26 soybean production at 12.29 million tonnes, including 10.9 million tonnes from the main crop and 1.4 million tonnes from the second crop. More than 70% of production has already been sold, in what is considered a historic season for Paraguay’s soybean sector. (StoneX Consulting)
Peru and Turkey discussed cooperation to expand access of Peruvian agricultural products to new markets, during a meeting between the two countries’ agriculture ministers at the 5th International Water Forum in Istanbul. According to Peru’s Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, the agenda sought to strengthen the international presence of Peruvian agribusiness. (Ministry of Agrarian Development)
The Ministry of Agrarian Development, through the Agroideas program, signed four agreements to support productive conversion among small grape farmers in the district of Majes, Arequipa. The measure involves the adoption of new varieties, technologies, and crop management practices to make production more competitive. The initiative benefits 58 organized farmers across 57.2 hectares, aiming to modernize crops and boost the local economy. (Ministry of Agrarian Development)
Uruguay ended the sanitary emergency of highly pathogenic avian influenza after more than 54 days without new outbreaks and with no evidence of virus circulation in the country. The Ministry of Agriculture said that surveillance will remain active, especially in commercial, backyard and wild birds, and that events involving bird gatherings must comply with new health requirements. (Ministry of Agriculture)
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