Corn freight rates fall after the second harvest.

The end of the second crop harvest, especially corn, had a direct impact on grain freight prices in important producing states. Mato Grosso, Goiás, Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul registered a drop in prices in August for road transport services on most of the routes analyzed by the National Supply Company (Conab). The information is contained in the September edition of the Logistics Bulletin, released this Monday (29).

According to Thomé Guth, Superintendent of Operational Logistics at Conab, the record production of the 2024/25 season increased the need for rapid crop outflow, which raised freight prices in July, considered the peak of the period. “Despite the drop in prices in August, the current level is still higher than that recorded at the same time last season. Prices are expected to remain supported in the coming months due to high supply and dynamic demand, both domestic and international, especially for animal feed and bioenergy,” explained Guth.

Photo: Jaelson Lucas

The movement of goods across the states showed regional differences. In Maranhão, prices fell, while in Piauí the market remained stable, reflecting a slower pace of corn outflow. In Bahia, freight rates registered stability and increases, especially in the Luís Eduardo Magalhães region, where the demand for grain and fiber transport boosted prices. In the Federal District, there was a generalized increase in prices in August, especially on routes to Imbituba (SC), Uberaba and Araguari (MG), and Guarujá (SP), with positive variations between 10% and 12%.

In terms of exports, corn shipped in August totaled 17.9 million tons, compared to 15.7 million in the same month last year. The ports of the Northern Arc led the outflow, accounting for 39.8% of the total, followed by Santos (29.6%), São Francisco do Sul (11.6%), Paranaguá (11.4%) and Rio Grande (5%).

Soybean exports totaled 86.5 million tons between January and August, exceeding the 83.4 million tons exported in the same period of 2024. The Northern Arc region accounted for 37.51 TP4T of this volume, while Santos was responsible for 34.21 TP4T, Paranaguá for 12.91 TP4T, and São Francisco do Sul for 5.21 TP4T.

The Conab Logistics Bulletin is a monthly publication that analyzes the logistics of the agricultural sector, the performance of Brazilian exports, cargo movement, and the main crop distribution routes. The complete September 2025 edition is now available on the company's website.