Brazil opens new agricultural export channels to Vietnam and Saudi Arabia

Brazil has expanded its agricultural export footprint by securing access to new markets in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, further strengthening the country’s position as a leading global food supplier. The agreements allow the export of additional categories of livestock-based products, according to official government information.

Vietnam has approved imports of Brazilian beef tallow, creating fresh opportunities for Brazil’s livestock sector and supporting value-added exports. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has authorised imports of bovine heparin, a substance widely used in medicine as an anticoagulant to prevent blood clotting.

These approvals mark the 526th and 527th new export openings for Brazilian agribusiness since the beginning of 2023. Negotiations on sanitary and technical standards were conducted jointly by Brazil’s foreign affairs and agriculture authorities as part of a broader strategy to diversify export destinations.

Vietnam, with a population of around 100 million, remains one of Brazil’s key agricultural partners. In 2025, Vietnamese imports of Brazilian agricultural products exceeded US$3.5 billion, including maize, soy-related products, fibres and textiles.

Saudi Arabia, home to more than 34 million people, imported over US$2.8 billion worth of Brazilian goods last year. Supplies included maize, meat and products from the sugar and ethanol value chain, underlining the depth of bilateral trade ties.

Brazil’s trade balance continued to show a surplus at the start of 2026. During the first three weeks of January, exports rose by 18 per cent on a daily average basis compared with the same period in 2025, reaching nearly US$15 billion.

In 2025, Brazil’s agribusiness sector set a historic export record of US$169.2 billion, accounting for almost half of the country’s total exports. Soya, beef and coffee were the leading commodities, reflecting the sector’s central role in driving national export growth and global food security.

Photo: Suphanat Khumsap / iStock