Last week, Fernanda Maciel, Deputy Director of International Relations at the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA), participated in the Valor Econômico Brazil-China 2025 Summit, held in Shanghai, China.
The event took place from April 23 to 25 and was organized by the Brazilian newspaper “Valor Econômico” in partnership with the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI), with support from the CNA/SENAR System, ApexBrasil, and other public and private sector organizations.
Maciel was one of the speakers on the panel “China’s Role in the Growth of Brazilian Agribusiness,” which discussed the current scenario of Brazil-China relations in the sector, as well as the challenges both countries face in adding to global food security.
The CNA representative emphasized the potential for both countries to broaden their partnership in agribusiness and for Brazil to diversify its export agenda to China, which is currently the largest market for Brazilian agricultural products.
“Although China is Brazil’s main trading partner, accounting for 30% of agribusiness exports, our export portfolio does not reflect the diversity of Brazilian agricultural production. There is great potential to be explored,” Maciel said.
She also proposed greater cooperation between the two countries in areas such as biotechnology, highlighting the need to “reduce approval asynchronies for crops like soy and corn and to jointly develop technologies for new cultivars such as sorghum and sesame.”
Maciel also addressed logistics, indicating new opportunities for Brazilian fruits through the potential setting-up of a direct maritime route linking the ports of Salvador (Bahia) and Santana (Amapá) to Gaolan Port in China, which could reduce transport time by up to 30 days.
The event gathered officials, experts, and business leaders from both countries to discuss issues related to trade relations and prospects in agribusiness, mining, the automotive industry, smart cities, technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and renewable energy.
The Summit’s program also included visits to business institutions, universities, companies, and startups to gain deeper insights into Chinese culture and its innovation ecosystem.