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PT_BR Corn imports continue at an accelerated pace in Santa Catarina throughout 2025. From January to October, the state purchased more than 349,100 tons, a volume 31.51% higher than the same period last year, according to data from... Santa Catarina Agricultural BulletinThis data, compiled by Epagri/Cepa based on Comex Stat/MDIC, shows that in terms of value, imported corn totaled US$59.74 million, an increase of 23.51% compared to the accumulated total for 2024. All of this originates from Paraguay, the main external supplier of the cereal to the Santa Catarina market.
Photo: Claudio Neves
The trend of expanding external supply intensified in the second half of the year. In October, Santa Catarina imported more than 63,000 tons, maintaining the upward curve registered since July, when monthly volumes consistently exceeded 50,000 tons. Epagri/Cepa indicates that this movement should continue until November, a period in which demand from the poultry, swine, and beef agro-industries remains strong.
Monthly data illustrate this escalation. From October 2024 to October 2025, imports ranged from lows close to 3,400 tons (March/25) to highs exceeding 63,000 tons (September/25). During this period, months such as June, July, and August saw strong inflows of the grain, accompanied by revenues that fluctuated between US$$ 7.4 million and US$$ 11.2 million.
Exports grow despite domestic deficit.
In a seemingly contradictory scenario, the state, which has an estimated annual deficit of 6 million tons of corn to supply its large agro-industrial sector, also expanded its exports of the grain in 2025.
Through October, Santa Catarina shipped 130,100 tons, a jump of 243.9% compared to the same period in 2024. The exported value also drew attention: US$30.71 million, an increase of 282.33% year-on-year.
Photo: Claudio Neves
According to Epagri/Cepa, this movement occurs mainly in producing regions near the ports of Santa Catarina, where export prices become more competitive than those of the domestic market, especially when the exchange rate favors foreign sales or when there is a logistical mismatch between regional supply and demand.
This dynamic reinforces a known structural trait of Santa Catarina's agriculture: while it is one of the largest consumers of corn in the country, due to the weight of its animal protein chains, Santa Catarina does not achieve self-sufficiency and depends on corn from other regions and countries for supply. Occasional exports occur when there are temporary regional surpluses, commercial opportunities, or logistical advantages.
Perspectives
With the gradual arrival of the new 2025/26 harvest in the state and in the Brazilian Midwest, the trend is for imported volumes to stabilize from the end of the year. However, exchange rate behavior, international prices, and the final result of Santa Catarina's production will continue to determine the need for external purchases—and, on the other hand, the competitiveness of exports.
According to Epagri/Cepa, the 2025 scenario reinforces both the importance of corn as a strategic input for animal protein chains and the vulnerability resulting from external and interstate dependence on the cereal. Santa Catarina continues to be a state that imports to supply its agriculture and exports when market logic allows, a dynamic balance that moves ports, industries, and producers throughout the year.
