Brazil's agribusiness exports reach record US$87 billion in first half of 2026

Brazil's agribusiness exports reached a record US$87 billion in the first half of 2026, marking the highest value ever recorded for the January–June period. The result was driven by strong overseas demand for soybeans, meat products and cotton, according to the country's Ministry of Agriculture.

China remained Brazil's largest export destination, accounting for 35.1 per cent of total agribusiness exports. Shipments to the Chinese market reached US$30.5 billion, an increase of 10.5 per cent compared with the first half of 2025.

Soybeans continued to dominate Brazil's export basket, with overseas shipments reaching a record 69.6 million tonnes, up 7.1 per cent year on year, as reported by Brasil 247, a TV BRICS partner.

Beef exports also posted their strongest first-half performance on record. Export revenue climbed 38.5 per cent to US$9.1 billion, while shipment volumes increased 16.2 per cent to 1.5 million tonnes. Poultry exports delivered another historic result, generating US$5 billion, up 17.8 per cent from a year earlier.

Soybean meal exports also reached a record level, generating US$4.6 billion, an increase of 14.8 per cent, supported by shipments of 12.7 million tonnes. Iran recorded the fastest growth in imports of the product, with purchases rising 571.3 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.

Cotton exports achieved their highest first-half value on record at US$2.8 billion, an increase of 12.5 per cent, reflecting a 21.4 per cent rise in export volumes. China led the growth in demand for Brazilian cotton, with imports increasing by 160 per cent.

Corn exports also expanded, reaching US$1.7 billion, up 20.6 per cent, supported by stronger shipments to Vietnam and Egypt.

The ministry noted that a wide range of agricultural products achieved record export results during the first half of 2026, including soybeans by volume, beef, pork and poultry by both value and volume, as well as cotton, soybean meal, live cattle, instant coffee, DDG, rice, mangoes and corn oil. The figures underline Brazil's expanding role as one of the world's leading suppliers of agricultural commodities.