Dreyfus and Cofco biggest soybean exporters in 2018

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and Cofco International were among the top soybean shippers from Brazil in 2018. According to shipping agency Williams Sons, Dreyfus moved 30.5% more soybeans (10.56m tons) in the first eleven months of 2018, YoY. The volume represents 13% of Brazil’s total soybean shipments. China’s Cofco recorded a significant increase as well, up 22% to 10.49m tons between January and November  YoY.

Supporting Sources:

https://www.portosenavios.com.br/noticias/geral/dreyfus-e-olam-tem-maior-salto-em-exportacao-de-soja-do-brasil-em-2018

Dreyfus and Olam have the biggest leap in soybean exports from Brazil in 2018

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and Olam International were among the giant agricultural commodities tradings that boosted Brazil’s soybean shipments in 2018 in the wake of a record harvest in the country and increased shipments to China to the Asian nation’s trade war with the United States.

After investing in the country, Dreyfus exported 30.5 percent more Brazilian soybean from January to November, with 10.56 million tons, according to data from the shipping agency Williams compiled by Reuters. The volume represents about 13 percent of all that Brazil, the largest exporter of oilseed, sold in the period.

Dreyfus exports slightly exceeded the total of 10.49 million tons of soybeans shipped by China’s Cofco, which also saw a significant increase in the period of 22 percent.

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Should Dreyfus remain ahead of the Chinese in December, he should end the year in third place among the largest soy exporters in Brazil, behind only the absolute leader, Bunge, and Cargill.

“One important factor is the size of the crop, which always influences, but it is not random. We are not expecting the crop to grow large enough to grow. Louis Dreyfus has made investments in infrastructure over the years, “said Luis Barbieri, the company’s executive director of Oilseeds in Brazil.

The results of 2018 so far show how the traditional companies, members of the so-called ABCD (ADM, Bunge, Cargill and Dreyfus), are dealing with the performance of China’s Cofco, which consolidated among the largest grain exporters in Brazil in 2017.

According to Barbieri, Dreyfus is “reaping the fruits of these investments”, which have been around 500 million reais per year in recent years, considering all the company’s business.

Barbieri explained that trading currently has the largest capacity to transport soybeans in Arco Norte, with 64 barges and seven pushers through the Amazonian rivers, which favors the flow of the oilseed.

In addition, Tegram, a grain terminal in Maranhão, one of the newest in Brazil, which has the company as a partner, ran in 2018 for the first time “at full capacity”.

“I think one of the important factors to achieve this growth above the market average was our investments in infrastructure. Another point was our focus on being close to the farmer, “Barbieri said, choosing not to comment on Reuters figures from Williams’ line-ups.

CHINA

Chinese appetite for Brazilian soya has also helped tradings in the South American country.

Olam International, with a strong presence in Asia, expanded its Brazilian soybean exports by 237.2 percent between January and November, in the annual comparison, to 5.85 million tonnes.

“Our increase in volumes is in line with the increase in the flow of soybean trade from Brazil to China, driven by trade restrictions between the United States and China,” the trader said in an e-mail note.

Brazilian producers benefited greatly this year from the trade war between the two largest economies in the world. Amid several retaliations, Beijing imposed a 25 percent rate on the US commodity, which led the Chinese to turn to the Brazilian oilseed.

Benefited also by a record harvest of about 120 million tons, Brazil has shipped historical volumes to China and is expected to close the year with sales of about 82 million tons.

Louis Dreyfus herself also had her business helped by China. In September, the company opened its new oilseed processing plant in Tianjin, in an expansion plan for the world’s largest soybean consumer.

Among the other major trading companies in Brazil, Bunge raised its soybean exports by 9 percent so far in 2018 to 16.64 million tonnes, while Cargill maintained some stability at 11.35 million tonnes, as the Williams data.

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) saw shipments grow 12.6 percent to 8.20 million tonnes. Marubeni exported 5.6 percent less, with almost 9 million tons.

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