Brazil is about to reap another historic harvest — more than 330 million tons of grains are estimated for 2024-25. This figure proudly reaffirms what the world already knows: we are one of the largest food producers on the planet. Brazilian agriculture shows its strength: season after season, it sows, cultivates, reaps, delivers, and faces challenges. With each new record, a logistical challenge also emerges; however, if tackled earnestly and strategically, it could become the next great national achievement: the efficient outlet of this wealth.
Although rural logistics faces historical hindrances, it has enormous potential for change. Currently, a large part of our production is still transported by roads — around 85% of soybean and corn travel by truck. We know there are bottlenecks, but there are also open paths for improvement: structuring investments, technological innovation, and integrated public policies can reverse this scenario.
In the new agricultural frontiers — the Midwest and North Regions, as well as the so-called Matopiba (encompassing Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia states) — logistical challenges require tailor-made solutions. According to the National Transport Confederation (CNT), more than two-thirds of the roads assessed in 2024 have some degree of deficiency. This impacts negatively on costs and competitiveness, but also reinforces the urgency and chance to act. Every road renovated, every kilometer paved, or railroad reactivated is a robust step towards more efficient agribusiness.
Railroads, for instance, represent a promising alternative. Although they currently account for only 18% of the transport mix, the potential for expansion is huge, especially with modern concessions and fair tariffs. The same goes for inland navigation: with more than 40,000 kilometers of navigable rivers, Brazil has one of the largest hydrographic networks in the world; however, only 19,000 km are actually utilized. With adequate infrastructure, dredging, and signaling, we can turn our rivers into real avenues for progress.
Concerning the ports, Brazil’s export vocation needs to be boosted by upgrading and more efficiency. More than 95% of agricultural exports are processed through them. Improving drafts, integrating accesses, reducing bureaucracy, and investing in technology are all measures that will yield significant returns to the economy. Port bottlenecks are currently estimated to cost more than US$ 20 billion per year. Overcoming them is a matter of strategy and future vision.
Storage, which is another key link in the chain, also demands attention. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recommends a storage capacity of 120% of annual production — Brazil has 72.9%. But there are promising indications: strengthening facilities on farms, with easy access to credit and technical training, can reduce losses, optimize trading, and increase producer income. It’s a win-win agenda: for the countryside, the industry, and the country as a whole.
We already have tangible achievements. The Arco Norte [Northern Arc] is an outstanding example: this route’s share of grain exports has doubled in the last 15 years, from 16.6% in 2009 to 34.6% in 2024. With planning and investment, we can go even further, diversifying outlets and consolidating modern, integrated, and efficient logistics.
However, to make progress in logistics, Brazil must align its strengths. It’s not about construction work: what’s needed is a vision of the State, coordination among government branches, and continuous dialogue with the productive sector. Agribusiness logistics is a cog that runs from field to port, and each piece needs to function harmoniously.
Technology is a critical ally: digitizing, tracking, predicting crops, optimizing routes, and training professionals. We already have the knowledge, the tools, and, above all, the human capital to perform this leap. What’s missing is turning intention into action.
The Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA) has been doing its part, presenting consistent proposals on all fronts: legislative, executive, and judiciary. The Confederation advocates the restructuring of multimodal corridors, the updating of regulatory frameworks, more attractive concessions, a national rural mobility policy, and the valuing of waterways. It also proposes developments in ports and storage, while also focusing on accessible credit and training.
Brazil sows excellently but also needs to reap efficiently. Thus, logistical efficiency is the next chapter in our global leading role. Brazilian society and public authorities must ensure that this production follows its natural course — along roads, rails, and rivers — until it reaches the world with swiftness, quality, and competitiveness. After all, those who feed the world deserve pathways to match.