Economics

China's Food Giant Emerges as Leading Exporter of Brazil Soy

  • Cofco seeking acquisitions that would further its position
  • Company is Brazil’s No. 3 soy exporter, shipping data show

Soybeans in a cargo ship headed to China at the Tiplam terminal in Santos, Brazil.

Photographer: Patricia Monteiro/Bloomberg
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Cofco International Ltd. has already overtaken some of the world’s oldest agricultural traders to become one of the biggest shippers of soybeans in Brazil, the top exporter. Now, the Chinese food giant is considering acquisitions that would extend its position even further.

The company is looking into buying warehouses and other facilities related to logistics deep in Brazil’s agricultural heartland, according to Valmor Schaffer, Cofco’s head for South America.