Tariffs on Almost 80% of Brazil’s Agricultural Exports to US Increase from 10% to 50%
China signed an agreement to import 30,000 tonnes of soybean meal from Argentina, priced at US$ 345 per tonne, with shipment scheduled for September and October. (AgRadar Consulting)
Cattle herd fell for the fourth consecutive year in the country, with 49.4 million vaccinated in 2025, 1.3 million fewer than in 2024. (BCR)
Bayer has signed a 10-year agreement with MSU Green Energy to supply solar energy to the María Eugenia plant in Buenos Aires, the world’s largest corn seed processing facility, in line with Bayer’s goal of climate neutrality by 2030. (MSU Green Energy; Bayer)
Live cattle exports from the country have been approved, focusing on Israel as a priority destination and seeking to follow the Uruguayan model. It already has 15 active protocols and is negotiating with Israel and Morocco. (Senasa)
Argentine agricultural exports reached a historic high in July 2025, with US$ 4.102 billion, up 57% compared to July 2024 and 10% over June, and a 43% increase year-to-date. (CIARA-CEC)
On August 5th, 2025, employees of the National Institute of Agricultural Technology began a 36-hour national strike, marching to Congress in protest against Decree 462/25, which, according to the union, threatens to dismantle the agency. (Apinta; INTA)
Argentina reduced the export tax on soybean meal and oil from 31% to 24.5%, and on soybeans from 33% to 26%, narrowing the tax differential between grain and derivatives from 2 to 1.5 percentage points, which weakens the competitiveness of Argentine derivatives compared to Brazil, the largest global exporter after the US. (Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries)
Soybean production in Brazil is expected to grow 5.6% in the 2025/26 season, reaching up to 182.9 million tonnes, with a 2% increase in planted area and exports expected to reach up to 112 million tonnes. The State of Mato Grosso leads the expansion, while summer corn grows in the south of the country, but is expected to see a slight decline in total area. (Céleres; StoneX)
China has extended its investigation into beef imports by three months, postponing until November the decision that could impose tariffs or quotas on Brazil and other countries. (Abiec; Scot Consultoria)
50% tariff imposed by the US on Brazilian sugar and ethanol could generate annual losses of US$ 27.9 million, directly affecting 50 mills in the North and Northeast and putting 20% of the Northeast’s sugar export revenue at risk. (Datagro; Unica)
Wheat prices in the South fall as mills are stocked up and the market awaits the new harvest. (TF Agroeconômica)
Coffee harvesting in Brazil reached 90% of the 2025/26 crop by July 30th, surpassing the 87% achieved in 2024 and the average of 84% for the last five years. (Safras & Mercado)
77.4% of Brazil’s agricultural exports to the US suffered a tariff increase from 10% to 50%, totaling US$ 9.4 billion. (FGV Agro)
Negotiations to export beef to Japan focus only on southern Brazil, which accounts for less than 4% of exports, excluding large producers that represent almost 60% of the total. (Abrafrigo)
Winter corn harvest in the State of Paraná reached 75% of the area in 2024/25, 11% more than the previous week, but it is still behind last year, when the state had harvested more than 90%. The state is expected to harvest a second record crop of 17 million tonnes. (Deral)
Marfrig stated that its operations in Brazil remain normal, with no interruptions in production or impacts on revenue and profitability due to the US tariff. (Marfrig)
Caio Carvalho, president of the Brazilian Agribusiness Association, said that US tariffs on Brazilian products require coordinated negotiation between the government and the private sector, emphasizing that the issue is both political and commercial. Products such as coffee, fruit, and agricultural machinery are the most affected, but the exemption of some indicates an invitation to negotiate, which depends on direct dialogue between the presidents of Brazil and the US. (ABAG)
Brazilian coffee may redirect exports to China and Europe due to the 50% tariff imposed by the US. Chinese consumption is growing 20% per year and has already absorbed 538,000 60-kg bags in the 1H of 2025. (Cecafé)
In 2024, the agricultural sector accounted for 13.70% of the country’s GDP, making it the second largest contributor among economic sectors. Among the main products exported during the year was soybean meal, with US$ 545 million. (IBCE; INE)
Avocado orchards near native forests and scrublands in the central region of the country have up to 2.5 times more diversity and pollinator visitation, which increases productivity. (PUCV; INIA; IEB)
Chile is the leading exporter of apples to the European Union, reaching 58,100 tonnes between August 2024 and June 2025, a 13% increase. High demand for fruit from the Southern Hemisphere drove prices up to their highest level in 20 years. (DG Agriculture and Rural Development)
Chile and China have signed an agreement to create a high-tech experimental farm in Maipú, focused on agricultural innovation and the production of fruits and vegetables using 4.0 technologies such as automation, sensors, and AI. The institutions involved are the Foundation for Agricultural Innovation, the Agricultural Research Institute, the Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies, the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture, and the University of Chile. (INIA; Odepa)
Deforestation increased by 43% in the country in 2024, totaling 113,608 hectares, with the Amazon region recording 77,124 hectares deforested, an increase of 44,274 hectares compared to 2023. The main causes include land grabbing, extensive livestock farming, infrastructure, illicit plantations, illegal extraction, and agricultural expansion. (Ministry of Agriculture; Corpohass)
Washed Arabica coffee production grew 19% in the country in July, reaching 1.37 million bags, the highest volume for the month in a decade, driven by heavy rainfall in the 1H of 2025 that delayed the harvest. Exports in July rose 12.5%, totaling 1.15 million bags, and production for the 2H of 2025 is forecast at 7.1 million bags. (National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia)
Ministry of Agriculture approved a US$ 7 million investment to subsidize up to 90% of insurance policies for small farmers and finance agricultural projects, with a focus on risk management, financial inclusion, and organizational strengthening. (Finagro; Confederation of Cooperatives of Colombia)
Ecuador is negotiating with the US to avoid a 15% tariff on cocoa, which came into effect on August 7th and threatens up to 30% of the sector’s exports, undermining competitiveness against countries such as Colombia and Peru. (Anecacao; Ministry of Agriculture)
Canada has recognized the equivalence of Mexico’s Federal Inspection System for beef, pork, and poultry, allowing Mexican exports to the Canadian market to be maintained and expanded. (Government of Mexico)
US increased agricultural exports to Mexico, which purchased US$ 30 billion in 2024, but imposed a 17% tariff on tomatoes and blocked cattle imports due to a health outbreak, causing losses of US$ 400 million. (USDA)
US decision to reinstate tariffs on Brazilian beef has opened up an opportunity for Paraguay to take on a more prominent role in the US market, according to Juan Lema, commercial director of Agromeals, sharing Mercosur’s annual quota of 67,000 tonnes. (Agromeals)
Technicians from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture are in Paraguay until August 8th to inspect the animal health program managed by the country’s National Animal Health and Quality Service, with a view to opening up the Japanese market to Paraguayan beef. (Senacsa)
In 1H of 2025, the country’s agricultural exports were led by cocoa, avocados, and blueberries, with companies such as Machu Picchu Foods (US$ 238 million), Camposol (US$ 85 million in blueberries), and Danper (US$ 107 million) standing out. (PromPerú; Sunat)
First shipment of frozen avocados to China has been made. The country plans to export more than 670,000 tonnes of avocados, with revenues exceeding US$ 1.5 billion, maintaining China, Europe, and the US as the main destinations. (Senasa)
Exports from Peru to Japan reached a record high of nearly US$ 129 million in 2024, led by green coffee beans, avocados, and fresh grapes. (APEC; Mincetur)
Federated Agricultural Cooperatives supports the National Milk Producers Cooperative in the conflict caused by the closure of the Rivera plant, emphasizing that the cooperative offered relocation or unemployment insurance to affected workers. The decision aims to concentrate production at the Montevideo Industrial Center to save US$ 1.5 million, due to the need to modernize the Rivera plant. (CAF; Conaprole)
Rafael Normey, president of the Rural Federation, criticized the suspension of live cattle exports for immediate slaughter by the Ministry of Livestock, arguing that the measure discourages farmers, does not solve the problems of meatpacking plants, and harms the entire production chain. (Rural Federation)
2024/25 summer harvest recorded record yields for soybeans, with 3.8 million tonnes, and almost 2 million tonnes of corn. (MGAP)
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