US Is Losing Soybean-Export Edge as Brazil Closes Logistics Gap
- Brazil oilseed-transport costs ease to reach parity with US
- US to invest billions in ports, roads; Brazil had head start
Workers harvest soybeans in Pace, Mississippi.
Photographer: Rory Doyle/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
US farmers facing supply-chain bottlenecks and a surging dollar are losing their competitive edge in the global market for soybeans to their biggest rival: Brazil.
In many of the years through 2020, it was about twice as expensive for China -- the top importer -- to ship Brazilian rather than American soybeans. But logistics issues in the US, upgrades of the South American country’s ports and supply infrastructure, and a strong dollar have almost eliminated that gap, US Department of Agriculture data show.