Anuário da Indústria de Implementos Rodoviários 2021

80 EXPORTAÇÕES | EXPORTS | EXPORTACIONES B razil still relies heavily on road transport for corn and soybeans. So concludes a report by the Luiz de Queiroz School of Agriculture (Esalq) at the University of Sao Paulo (USP), in Piracicaba, which analyzed data on grain transport in Brazil from 2010 to 2019. The study shows that for domestic and export markets together, transport options are diversifying, with the greater involvement of waterways and railroads. Exports, however, have become more dependent on road transport. The study analyzed changes in corn and soybean transportation in Brazil from 2010 to 2019, supplying domestic and export markets. “We also have compiled transport indicators, such as average distance traveled, origin-destination pairs, participation by multimodal terminals, and other information,” says researcher Thiago Guilherme Péra, the technical coordinator of the ESALQ-LOG Group, and one of the authors of the paper. The researchers created a database of official figures and information from the ESALQ-LOG Group to illustrate and analyze the transport of corn and soybeans in Brazil by rail and river. “We analyzed participation for total cargo and export and domestic markets. We were then able to add to the statistics for changes in logistics infrastructure in the Brazilian grain sector and suggest policies to boost efficiency,” Péra says. The survey showed that trucks transported most corn to major domestic destinations and ports, accounting for almost 69% of the total in 2019, followed by railroads (21%) and waterways (10%). “For corn, the dependence on road transport decreased from 83.8% in 2010 to 69.2% in 2019 considering all production in the country,” says the researcher. “On the other hand, the greatest growth in terms of diversification of the transport matrix occurred for the waterway, with a change in participation from 1.2% in 2010 to 9.6% in 2019. In the same period analyzed, corn production grew 78.6%.” As regards corn exports by Brazil, dependence on road transport increased from 20% (2010) to 31% (2019), while railroads fell from 77.5% (2010) to 49.5% (2019), and there was a sharp increase in waterway transport, from 2.5% (2010) to 19.5% (2019). “This resulted from the massive increase in corn exports in the last decade, which grew by almost 300% in the period,” Péra says. “For soybeans, the dependence on road transport decreased from 74.7% in 2010 to 67.4% for 2019, in contrast to that on railroads, which increased from 20.2% (2010) to 24% (2019) and on waterways, which almost doubled in the period, from 5.1% (2010) to 8.6% (2019). In the same period, soybean production increased by 74.3%,” explains Péra. For soybean exports, there was increased dependence on road transport, from 44.7% (2010) to 49.1% (2019), and a reduction in railroad use, from 47.0% (2010) to 38.3% (2019), and an increase in waterway use, from 8.3% (2010) to 12.6% (2019). “Soybean exports in the period grew by approximately 155%,” Péra says. “Several challenges persist, including the long distances between major production regions and barge and railway terminals, as well as limited rail and waterway infrastructure capacity,” Péra adds. According to the researcher, in the last decade, the use of barges has increased for corn and soybean exports to the main ports. “However, all corn and soybeans for domestic consumption are transported by truck, with an average distance of 357 kilometers from the farms to any destination other than the railway and barge terminals,” notes Péra. “Railroads transport corn at an average distance of 1,258 kilometers and soybeans at 1,047 kilometers. On average, shipments by corn barges travel 1,075 kilometers, and soybean shipments, 989 kilometers. Brazil continues to rely heavily on trucking grain to the main destinations,” concludes Péra. Dependence on road transport of grain for export underscored Even with the greater involvement of waterways and railroads, Brazil still relies heavily on road transport for corn and soybeans By Júlio Bernardes , Journal da USP* (*) Originally published in Journal da USP