The first five months of this year have seen a significant increase in import cargo movement at the ports of Paraná, Brazil. The volume rose by 14% compared to the same period in 2023, from 9,074,119 tons to 10,335,801 tons.
"The growth in imports demonstrates our efficient structure and logistics to operate these cargoes and meet market demand," stated Luiz Fernando Garcia, CEO of Portos do Paraná.
Among the commodities with the highest growth was wheat, a key cereal for both human and animal consumption. Wheat imports surged by 28%, from 134,607 tons last year to 171,849 tons this year. This increase is primarily due to the poor quality of the domestically harvested wheat in the latest season.
"Brazil is importing more wheat this year but also exporting significantly. Low-quality wheat, not used domestically, is being exported as feed to other countries.
This is unusual since Brazil is not self-sufficient in wheat production. We are increasing production but still struggling to ensure product quality," emphasized Giovani Ferreira, administrative advisor at Portos do Paraná.
Malt, produced from barley and essential to the national brewing industry, also saw increased movement. Its imports grew by 5%, from 215,906 tons last year to 227,357 tons this year. Additionally, container movement increased from 231,269 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) to 320,054 TEUs (38%). The surge in container imports was driven by electronics, chemicals, and automotive products.
"Logistic strategies enable greater cargo movement and speed in ship docking and undocking, maintaining efficiency and increasing productivity," noted Gabriel Vieira, Director of Operations.
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