China was again the main buyer of Brazilian exports last month, taking 20.9 percent of the value, having taken 18.3 percent a year earlier, Agência Brasil reports.

The news agency quotes a Brazilian think-tank, the Getulio Vargas Foundation, as saying Brazilian exports to China are likely to keep growing this year, but more slowly than last year.

The foundation says the slowing will be due in part to China resuming imports of soybeans from the United States, so limiting expansion of the Chinese market for Brazilian soybeans.

The report says the Sino-US trade war has curbed Chinese purchases of US soybeans.

Instead, China has been buying Brazilian soybeans, taking 82 percent of all Brazilian soybean exports last year, or 35 percent more than the year before, Agência Brasil says.