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Strike impacting Brazilian ag exports

 

A strike by truckers and dockworkers in Brazil is impacting their agricultural exports.  Brazil’s largest port in Santos reports a shortage of soybeans, and Chinese-based COFCO has been forced to suspend shipments from there.  Similar shortages of commodities are reported in Paranagua Port, Brazil’s second-largest grain shipping port.

Coffee and sugar exports from Brazil are also down, and meat packer JBS has stopped all domestic slaughter of cattle, hogs, and chicken because the strike has stopped deliveries of feed and meat products.  The strike is also impacting local food and fuel availability.

The Brazilian government is temporarily subsidizing diesel fuel and continuing to meet with truckers, who refuse to end the strike until federal fuel taxes eliminated.