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Brazil dry spell dries river and stops shipping on essential grains passage

A prevalent

drought

in Brazil has actually stopped the transport of grains through the Madeira river, an important northern waterway linking key croplands with the nation's ports, regional port terminals association Amport stated on Wednesday.

The Madeira river is a crucial corridor for shipping products from Rondonia state and parts of Mato Grosso state, Brazil's top soy producer, to export terminals located in the country's. northern states. Grain transport in the Madeira is currently halted as. river's depth in crucial points is around 2 meters (6.6 feet),. making navigation commercially unfeasible, Amport President. Flavio Acatauassu informed Reuters.

Some 34% of Brazilian soy exports in 2023, and nearly 43% of. corn exports were shipped through the so-called North Arc. region, that includes ports situated in northern Brazil,. according to data from the nationwide crop agency Conab.

Brazil is the world's largest exporter of soy, and one of. the biggest corn exporters.

However, the shipping halt may not impact Brazilian exports. as regional farmers have actually already delivered the majority of the grains. anticipated for 2024.

Regional grains traders lobby Anec said on Wednesday that the. lower capacity for carrying grains through northern ports. has actually raised expenses for the exporters, however added the business had. been already prepared.

There must be no decrease in grain exports due to the. dry spell in the northern area, as traders work with a really high. level of preventative measure, Anec's General Director Sergio Mendes. said.

(source: Reuters)