TCP Becomes First Brazilian Terminal Authorized for Peanut Sampling by MAPA

In August, TCP, which manages the Port Container Terminal of Paranaguá, became the first terminal in Brazil to receive authorization from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) to conduct peanut sampling in a port area.

Peanut sampling for aflatoxin testing is a crucial step required for laboratory analysis to certify the product’s quality according to European Union standards for export. Europe is the most demanding and highest-paying market for Brazilian peanuts.

Giovanni Guidolim, TCP’s Commercial, Logistics, and Customer Service Manager, stated, “Conducting sampling directly at the Port Container Terminal of Paranaguá ensures greater speed, security, and lower logistical costs for our clients, who will no longer need to send peanuts to an intermediate warehouse for this process.”

For exporters using other terminals, the cargo must first go through an intermediate warehouse authorized by MAPA for sampling.

Beatrice Peanuts, Brazil’s largest peanut exporter, will benefit from this new measure. Shipping between 50,000 and 55,000 tons of peanuts annually, with 50% of this volume destined for Europe, the company from Tupã (SP) exports all its peanuts through TCP, a partnership that has lasted for 8 years.

Export Manager Angela Nistarda highlights, “With sampling and storage processes centralized at TCP, we will have faster operations, reducing the chances of shipment loss and avoiding extra costs related to detention and no-show. Additionally, another advantage is the safety and traceability of the product, which will no longer need to go through an intermediate warehouse.”

The chart below builds on DataLiner-derived data to explore Brazilian exports of peanuts recorded at Paranagua Port between January 2021 and July 2024. Readers may request a demo using the link below.

Peanut Exports from Paranagua Port | Jan 2021 – Jul 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Authorization and Sampling Process

The process to secure authorization began in the second half of 2023, starting with discussions between TCP and Beatrice Peanuts, which faced limitations in sampling capacity when conducted at intermediate warehouses.

“We mobilized our regulatory team to understand the requirements from the intervening agencies regarding safety and ideal conditions for the sampling process to occur at a port terminal. Through studies and technical reports, we demonstrated that the Terminal met the highest sanitary standards and had the expertise needed to conduct the process in our warehouse,” explains Rafael Stein, TCP’s Institutional and Legal Manager.

With the authorization now in place, peanut exporters can request that MAPA-certified laboratories perform the sampling process within the Terminal’s bonded warehouse once the cargo has been properly weighed, unloaded, and positioned by the TCP team.

TCP’s Logistics Operations Manager, Fabio Mattos, explains that, in general, “The positioning, unloading, and palletizing of the cargo follow a series of strict standards to prevent any contamination of the product. The container is scanned upon entering the terminal, and after the sample is collected, the peanuts are re-stuffed in the unit and subsequently stored in the operations yard while awaiting clearance from the laboratory contracted by the client.”

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