Apr 09, 2019
Bridge Collapse in Northern Brazil will not Impact Soy Exports
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
A barge carrying residue from palm oil extraction collided with a bridge over the Moju River about 50 kilometers south of the city of Belem causing several sections of the bridge to collapse. Belem is the big city at the mouth of the Amazon River where there are ports that export soybeans. This bridge collapse does not impact the movement of soybeans to the ports near the mouth of the Amazon. All of the ports on the Amazon are said to be operating normally. It will impact te movement of people and products in the region because this is a major road leading into the city of Belem.
It occurred on a small river about 50 kilometers from Belem on the highway that connects Belem with Brasilia. It will impact the movement of soybeans from the interior of the state of Para where they plant about 300,000 hectares of soybeans. Farmers in the state are expected to start harvesting their soybeans this week. These soybeans will have to find another way to get to the port, but it is a very small amount representing about 0.8% of Brazil's soybean acreage. The soybeans will still get harvested, they will just have to take a longer route to a port.
In my opinion, this bridge collapse will have no impact on Brazil's soybean exports.