Exports surged by 51% as China replaced Russia to become Brazil's largest fertilizer supplier.

According to a December 1 report by the São Paulo newspaper, data released by Brazil's Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex) shows that from January to October this year, Brazil imported a total of $6.1 billion worth of agricultural products from China, a 24% increase from the same period last year.

The Brazilian Agricultural and Livestock Confederation (CNA) commented that the supply structure of agricultural inputs in Brazil is undergoing a transformation, with the procurement of fertilizers being a key element. In terms of quantity, China has surpassed Russia for the first time to become Brazil's largest fertilizer supplier.

Data from the Foreign Trade Secretariat shows that from January to October this year, Brazil imported 9.77 million tons of fertilizers from China, slightly higher than the 9.72 million tons purchased from Russia. Moreover, China's export growth rate of fertilizers to Brazil has significantly accelerated, increasing by 51% year-on-year for the first ten months, while imports from Russia only grew by 5.6%.

It is worth noting that Brazil's imports of fertilizers from China are mainly ammonium sulfate (nitrogen fertilizer), while Russia remains an important strategic supplier of potassium chloride (potassium fertilizer). Currently, the two countries together account for half of Brazil's total fertilizer imports.

The Agricultural and Livestock Confederation pointed out that since the beginning of this year, Brazil's procurement of ammonium sulfate has consistently exceeded expectations, while the demand for potassium chloride has decreased due to seasonal factors. Data from the Foreign Trade Secretariat shows that from January to October this year, Brazil's total fertilizer imports reached 38.3 million tons, a 4.6% increase year-on-year; the import value also increased by 16% to $13.2 billion. According to import volume, Brazil's top five fertilizer suppliers are China, Russia, Canada, Morocco, and Egypt.

On the other hand, the Foreign Trade Secretariat pointed out that Brazil imported 863,000 tons of agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides in the first ten months, a 33% increase from the same period last year, with 70% coming from the Chinese market, followed by India (11%). The total import value of such products reached $4.67 billion, a 21% increase year-on-year.