By Adriano Machado, Ana Mano and Roberto Samora
Soybean trucks back up as heavy harvest traffic slows unloading at Miritituba port, Brazil
MIRITITUBA, Brazil, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Truck drivers in Brazil are facing unusually long delays to deliver soybeans at the Miritituba port terminal in the Amazon rainforest, as a record harvest of approximately 180 million metric tons overwhelms logistics at one of the world's key export hubs for the crop.
The backlog for moving soybeans from the world's largest producer and exporter highlights ongoing logistical hurdles in Brazil's agricultural supply chain. Much of the soybean harvest is destined for China.
"It's a disgrace here in Miritituba," trucker Jeferson Borges da Silva, who waited in a 30-km (20-mile) queue after driving 1,200 km from Mato Grosso, told Reuters. "We've been in line for two days already, this year was the worst yet."
Miritituba, a critical transshipment point, handles roughly 12 million metric tons of grains annually, including soy and corn. Firms such as Cargill, Bunge, and Brazil's Amaggi, operate river terminals where crops are loaded onto barges for downstream transport to larger facilities capable of filling ocean-going vessels. Traffic is usually heavy at this time of the year.
PROTESTS COMPOUND EXPORT CHALLENGES
Adding to the industry's setbacks, Indigenous activists invaded a Cargill transshipment facility in Santarem this month in protest against government policy to dredge and expand shipping capacity through the Amazon basin.
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Their demonstrations prompted the government on Monday to revoke a decree facilitating such waterway expansions, creating further uncertainty for agricultural exporters.
Trucker Wellington Bressan said the Indigenous protests may have contributed to the logjam in Miritituba as drivers rushed to secure unloading spots. "Truckers live on commission, if they work, they make money. That's why they did not want to wait before coming to Miritituba."
Cargill, which temporarily halted operations at its Santarem terminal during the protests, said on Thursday it is working to resume activity. In a statement, the company thanked employees for their "resilience" and reiterated its commitment to transporting food "safely and reliably."
INFRASTRUCTURE CONCERNS MOUNT
The revocation of the government decree could slow efforts to enhance logistical infrastructure in the northern export corridor, said Thiago Pera, a logistics expert at the University of São Paulo. He warned of medium- and long-term impacts on Brazil's ability to handle farm exports efficiently.
"The scenario is becoming increasingly challenging," Pera said, adding that dredging the region's rivers could allow for larger vessel movement year-round, easing pressure on trucking and lowering freight costs. Some 60% of Brazilian agricultural exports rely on truck transport.
Truckers like Sonia da Silva voiced frustration over outdated infrastructure at Miritituba's terminals. "How are you going to fit 1,000 trucks in a yard that only holds 500, or 200?" she asked.
(Reporting by Adriano Machado in Miritituba and Santarém, Ana Mano and Roberto Samora in São PauloEditing by Brad Haynes and Andrei Khalip)
