In early March, farmers in Brazil were facing major difficulties to transport soybeans to ports. Lack of trucks, high freights and rains have interrupted the delivery at ports. Therefore, importers have increased purchases from the United States; however, stocks there are low, causing prices to increase at CME/CBOT.
In Mato Grosso State, particularly in the municipalities of Sinop, Lucas do Rio Verde and Sorriso, besides high freight, poor road conditions aggravate the movement of trucks.
Delays in soybean deliveries to export and to the domestic market have slowed down trades in the market.
In February, despite advances of the harvesting, soybean shipments totaled only 959 thousand tons, against 1.56 million in February 2012. The average price was 63.76 reais per 60 kilo bag.
Shipments of soybean meal amounted 669.7 thousand tons in February, an increase of 8.6 per cent compared to January, but a drop of 32.8 per cent in relation to February 2012.
Soy oil exports totaled 26.35 thousand tons, upping 14 per cent compared to January and a sharp decrease of 71.7 per cent in relation to the same period of the previous year.
In early March, the harvesting in Brazil neared 60 per cent of the area. In Mato Grosso State, almost 80 per cent of the crops had already been harvested. In Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul States, the harvesting had reached 12 per cent.
