The Cofco, Chinese agricultural trading giant, is investing in a terminal at the Port of Santos, with the capacity to handle 14 million tons of grain a year. The concession, granted in 2022, reinforces Chinese strategy of diversifying its sources of supply, consolidating Brazil as an essential partner in the global food chain.

The terminal is planned to be put into operation in 2025 and will quadruple the Cofco's port capacity in Brazil, allowing up to load 200 ships a year. With a direct connection to railroads, the new terminal promises to reduce logistics costs and optimize the transport efficiency of soybeans, corn, sugar and other main products exported by Brazil to China.

For Brazilian agribusiness, the expansion of Cofco's operations represents an opportunity for growth and greater integration into the Asian market. In addition, the reduction in transportation costs and the increase in transport capacity can directly benefit local producers, increasing Brazil's competitiveness on the international market.

(Source: CompreRural, on January 6)