Paranaguá Handles 63,800 Tonnes of Soybean Oil in January, Leading National Throughput

The Port of Paranaguá moved 63,800 tonnes of soybean oil in January, accounting for 72.48% of Brazil’s total soybean oil exports. The FOB value of these shipments—representing the cost and price of the product at the point of origin—exceeded $65 million, according to data from Brazil’s federal government (Comex Stat).

Soybean oil was the primary driver behind the recovery in vegetable oil throughput, a category that also includes palm and coconut oils. In January 2023, total vegetable oil shipments reached 112,800 tonnes, but a poor harvest and weak international demand led to a sharp decline in 2024, dropping to 25,000 tonnes. By January 2025, however, throughput rebounded to 81,500 tonnes, marking a 225% increase year-over-year.

“We are now seeing a partial recovery from the 2023/2024 soybean harvest shortfall, which had reduced the supply of soybeans available for crushing in 2024 and, in turn, impacted vegetable oil exports from Paraná. At the time, international demand for soybean oil was also lower,” explained Giovani Ferreira, an economist and board advisor at Portos do Paraná.

“We remain Brazil’s leading hub for vegetable oil exports, handling 34% of the country’s total throughput. This month, soybean oil was the key commodity driving these numbers,” emphasized Luiz Fernando Garcia, CEO of Portos do Paraná.

Strong Performance Across Key Commodities

In addition to the surge in soybean oil exports, three other key commodities posted strong throughput volumes at Paraná’s ports in January.

• Corn exports more than doubled, rising from 129,300 tonnes to 344,500 tonnes, a 166% increase.
• Bulk sugar exports grew from 425,000 tonnes in 2024 to 444,400 tonnes in 2025.
• Fertilizer imports fell slightly, from 840,800 tonnes to 811,500 tonnes, a 3% decline, but Paraná’s ports remained the country’s top gateway for fertilizer imports.

Total cargo throughput at the Ports of Paranaguá and Antonina in January reached 4.7 million tonnes.

“We continue to see strong operational performance at both Paraná ports. With the soybean harvest recovering, we expect even better numbers in the coming months,” said Gabriel Vieira, Portos do Paraná’s Director of Operations.

Sharing is caring!