Requests for Bankruptcy Protection Increased in Agriculture in Brazil
Argentina’s oilseed-sector workers called a 24-hour strike for Thursday, December 18th, according to the Argentine Vegetable Oil Industry Chamber. Led by the Federation of Workers of the Oilseed Industrial Complex, Cotton Ginners and Related Workers of Argentina, the stoppage could disrupt industrial activity and port logistics, adding uncertainty to soybean-complex exports. (Argentine Oil Industry Chamber)
Santander Argentina and Banco Galicia are expanding digital farm credit via the Nera platform, focused on payments and financing of purchases such as inputs and livestock. The banks say Nera connects farmers, suppliers and lenders and has already enabled more than 28,000 financing transactions totaling about US$ 1.2 billion since launch. (Banco Santander Argentina; Banco Galicia)
Rosario Board of Trade raised its outlook for Argentina’s 2025/26 wheat crop and signaled record potential, forecasting 27.7 million tonnes on the back of stronger-than-expected yields supported by favorable weather and abundant rainfall. The exchange notes that fully delivering on this performance depends on La Niña not creating material weather stress across key producing areas. (Rosario Board of Trade)
The Rural Confederation of Argentina has submitted a proposal of tax reform to the national authorities outlining 12 measures to cut the tax burden and increase farm investment beyond export duties. The package includes accelerated depreciation, faster refunds of technical value-added tax credits, changes to the annual agricultural value-added tax scheme and valuation criteria, as well as tax incentives for fertilizer use and the removal of what it describes as distortive taxes. (CRA)
The National Association of Cereal Exporters raised its estimate of Brazil’s soybean exports in December to 3.57 million tonnes (about 200 thousand tonnes above the prior week’s projection). Corn exports were revised slightly up to 6.35 million tonnes (from 6.30 million). Exports of soybean meal were also lifted to 2 million tonnes (from 1.83 million), with shipments projected above last December across all three products. (ANEC)
Requests for Bankruptcy Protection (similar to US’ Chapter 11th) in agribusiness rose 150% in the 3Q25 versus the same period of 2024, according to Serasa Experian, marking the highest quarterly level in its series (since 2021). Quarter-on-quarter, filings increased 11.15%, amid a tougher credit environment in which lenders are tightening screening and disbursements. Individual farmers filed 255 requests (from 106 in 2024), while corporate farmers filed 242 (from 92), led by soybean growers (156) and livestock farmers (45). (Serasa Experian)
Agribusiness exports totaled US$ 13.4 billion in November of 2025, up 6.2% year on year, supported by a 6.5% increase in shipped volumes. Year-to-date (January–November), exports reached US$ 155.25 billion (+1.7%), a record for the period. In November, key highlights included soybeans (US$ 1.83 billion, +64.6%), beef (US$ 1.75 billion, +51.8%) and green coffee (US$ 1.5 billion, +9.1%), with record export values for beef and coffee and beef volumes above 318,000 tonnes. (Ministry of Agriculture)
Sugarcane yields average in Brazil’s Center-South fell 4.9% year on year in the 2025/26 season to date (April–March), to 74.7 tonnes/ha. The 2025/26 harvest is still reflecting last year’s dry weather and wildfire impacts. The quality metric linked to sugar and ethanol output potential averaged 136.1 kg per tonne season to date (–0.9%). In November, yields reached 63.3 t/ha (+0.7%) and the quality metric rose to 134.3 kg/t (+8.6%). (CTC)
Mexico became the top destination for coffee exports from the State of Espírito Santo in 2025, overtaking traditional markets such as the USA, Belgium and Italy, absorbing around 13% of shipments. In November of 2025, Espírito Santo exported nearly 49.8 thousand bags to Mexico, almost all conilon coffee. From January to November, Mexico led with more than 510 thousand bags, mostly conilon. (Vitória Coffee Trade Center)
Chãozão company said it reached nearly US$ 90 billion in rural property listings in 2025, up 47% versus the level of December 2024. The company positions itself as a digital marketplace showcase, linking landowners, brokers, real estate firms and investors via paid listing packages, without brokerage transactions. Chãozão also flagged plans to expand across Mercosur and to launch artificial intelligence-based services for land analysis and valuation. (Chãozão)
Brazil’s Senate Committee on Agriculture and Agrarian Reform approved an evaluation report on the National Agrarian Reform Program recommending a shift toward settlement consolidation and full land titling. The report highlights a low consolidation rate (6%), more than 205 thousand vacant plots and signs of cadastral irregularities among beneficiaries, as well as operational weaknesses in the Territorial Governance Platform, calling for stronger transparency and legal certainty in implementation. (CRA)
Brazil is expected to become the world’s largest beef producer in 2025, overtaking the USA. The report estimates 12.35 million metric tons for Brazil versus 11.81 million for the USA (carcass-weight equivalent); for 2026, Brazil is expected to reach 11.7 million tonnes and the USA should reach 11.71 million, which is almost a tie. The report also highlights the impact of US tariff measures and a historically low US cattle herd, which has supported higher prices and triggered meat-packing plant restructurings. (USDA)
Research led by the National University of Colombia suggests cocoa productivity in tropical regions can rise by more than 40% when key agronomic practices are implemented in an integrated way. Highlighted measures include soil amendment, fertilization, agroforestry systems, pruning, irrigation and plant health control, with combined effects stronger than isolated adoption. The study also flags gaps such as limited long-term trials and constrained technical assistance for smallholders. (National University of Colombia)
The National Federation of Wood Industry filed an annulment lawsuit with the Council of State against Decree 1191, arguing it could allow the State to sell assets at early stages of judicial proceedings, undermining legal certainty, property rights and due process. The group says the measure could put more than 4,000 families at risk of losing their land and impact productive projects spanning over 10,000 hectares. (Fedemaderas)
Farmers and transport groups are maintaining mobilizations and pressing the federal government for progress on credit access and crop sales, warning of possible blockades at highways, toll plazas and customs points if talks fail to meet their demands. The government said it remains in dialogue with the sector and urged groups to avoid harming third parties, highlighting support programs and payments under validation. (National Front for the Rescue of Mexico’s Countryside; Peasant Agricultural Movement; National Transporters Association; Mexico’s Secretariat of Agriculture)
Mexico’s National Confederation of Livestock Organizations accused cattle aggregators and traders of bypassing bovine movement restrictions under the National Animal Health Emergency Device, raising animal-health risk. The group also voiced concern over rising beef imports from Brazil and called for an import quota for countries that do not have trade agreements with Mexico. (Mexico’s National Confederation of Livestock Organizations)
According to economist and researcher William Muñoz of Universidad Católica Sedes Sapientiae, a potential free trade agreement between Peru and India could unlock strong growth in Peru’s agricultural exports, creating room for products such as grapes, blueberries, avocado, mango and quinoa, as well as superfoods and processed foods. (Universidad Católica Sedes Sapientiae)
Agrobanco said it disbursed about US$ 394 million in rural credit year-to-date through November, benefiting more than 100 thousand small farmers (over 33 thousand women). The bank said roughly 48% came from its own funds and the remainder came from the Agro Perú fund of Peru’s Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, supporting chains such as potatoes and corn (own funds) and coffee and cocoa (Agro Perú). Agrobanco expects to close the year with more than US$ 415 million in disbursed credit. (Agrobanco)
Government estimates that agricultural value added should increase 1% in 2025, supported by forestry, though partly offset by weaker summer crop activity. For 2026, the outlook points to a 5.9% contraction in agricultural output, driven by lower activity of the crop and livestock sectors. (Ministry of Agriculture)
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