Brazil’s scheduled fertilizer imports rise by 10% to 6.2 mln tons

The volume of scheduled fertilizer imports at Brazilian ports increased by 10% to 6.199 mln tons, compared with 5.617 mln tons in the previous reporting period. According to maritime agency Williams Brasil, as cited by Safras & Mercado, the figure is based on vessel arrival schedules compiled during October 1–9, 2026. The increase in expected shipments follows a sharp decline in actual fertilizer imports in September amid high global prices.

The largest volume of imported fertilizers is scheduled to arrive through the port of Santos in São Paulo state, totaling 2.211 mln tons, or approximately 36% of the overall figure. The port of Paranaguá in Paraná state ranks second, with expected arrivals of 972.8 thsd tons, or nearly 16%. Thus, the two largest port destinations account for more than half of all scheduled shipments. The remaining volume of approximately 3 mln tons is distributed among other Brazilian ports.

Williams Brasil’s monitoring covers vessels already berthed, ships waiting offshore to enter ports, and vessels scheduled to arrive by December 24, 2026. However, the 6.2 mln ton figure represents scheduled cargo volumes rather than fertilizers already discharged. Actual deliveries will depend on shipping schedules and port infrastructure capacity. The report does not provide a breakdown of expected imports by fertilizer type.

The increase in scheduled shipments follows a difficult September, when actual fertilizer imports into Brazil declined by 30%. One of the main factors was high fertilizer prices, which reached their highest levels since 2022. Ocean freight costs and elevated phosphate fertilizer prices are putting additional pressure on importers. Under these conditions, even an increase in scheduled vessel arrivals does not guarantee a corresponding rise in actual fertilizer deliveries.

Brazil remains heavily dependent on imported mineral fertilizers, making timely deliveries essential for the agricultural sector, particularly soybean producers in the MY 2026/27. The increase in scheduled port shipments may indicate a recovery in import activity following September’s decline. However, further developments will depend on global fertilizer prices, logistics costs and actual vessel discharge rates at Brazilian ports.

Tags: Brazil, fertilizers, mineral fertilizers