Brazil’s Fertilizer Deliveries Decline Amid Market Challenges

In May this year, fertilizer deliveries in the Brazilian market fell by 10.1% compared to May 2023, totaling 3.26 million tons, according to data from the National Association for Fertilizer Distribution (Anda) provided to Valor. A year earlier, deliveries had reached 3.63 million tons. From January to May 2024, deliveries amounted to 14.24 million tons, representing a 1.8% decrease compared to the first five months of the previous year.

Mato Grosso, Brazil’s largest agricultural state, received the highest volume of fertilizers in the first five months of the year, with deliveries totaling 3.2 million tons, or 22.5% of the national total. The state of Rio Grande do Sul, which faced flooding in May, received 994,000 tons of fertilizers.

In May, Brazil increased its production of intermediate fertilizers (sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and anhydrous ammonia, derived from NPK packaging raw materials) by 4.2%, reaching 494,000 tons. However, from January to May, national production fell by 9.1% year over year to 2.48 million tons.

Imports also declined. According to Anda, Brazil imported 3.06 million tons of intermediate fertilizers in May, a 4.1% decrease. From January to May, imports dropped by 7%, totaling 13.10 million tons. Currently, Brazil imports more than 85% of its fertilizer needs.

The following chart shows which maritime ports in Brazil stood out in terms of fertilizer imports in the first half of 2024. The information was derived from DataLiner, a Datamar-powered intelligence service.

Fertilizer Imports by Maritime Port | 2024 | WTMT

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Market analysts told Valor that the commercialization and logistics of fertilizers have been significant bottlenecks for deliveries, both for distributors and, subsequently, for farmers. One reason for the slowdown in fertilizer deliveries is the behavior of producers, who have become more cautious in their purchasing decisions due to falling grain prices and the rising dollar. These price movements have made the exchange rate for fertilizers less attractive.

Source: Globo Rural

Click here to read the access piece: https://globorural.globo.com/agricultura/noticia/2024/08/entrega-e-importacao-de-fertilizantes-caem-em-maio-no-brasil.ghtml

Sharing is caring!