Grain freight costs rise in Mato Grosso, raising concerns about agricultural costs, warns Famato.

The recent bulletin released by the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea) points to an important movement in agricultural logistics in Mato Grosso: an increase in the cost of road freight for grains on most routes in the state. This increase occurs even with a balanced supply of cargo for transport, highlighting that the determining factor was the reduction in the availability of trucks. According to the weekly survey, part of the fleet left the state in search of better opportunities in other regions of the country. This displacement reduced the local supply of vehicles, giving more negotiating power to the transport companies that remained in Mato Grosso and driving up freight prices. Highlights for the main monitored routes were Diamantino to Rondonópolis, with an average of R$ 155.00/t (+3.20%), and Querência to Uberlândia (MG), with an average of R$ 333.70/t (+3.28%). The figures reinforce a trend of freight price increases at a strategic moment for the flow of agricultural production. "It is worth noting that, for the current period, a decrease in freight prices would be expected, as the demand for transportation tends to balance out with the completion of the 2025/26 soybean harvest. Even so, prices remained higher than those observed in the same period of the previous year, mainly due to variations in diesel prices, which kept transportation costs high compared to the previous year," said Rodrigo Silva, coordinator of agricultural market intelligence at Imea. Transportation costs are one of the main components of the total cost of agricultural production in Mato Grosso, a state heavily dependent on the road network to transport grains to consumer centers and ports. With more expensive freight, rural producers feel the impact directly in their pockets, as profit margins are reduced. This scenario also impacts the competitiveness of Mato Grosso's agribusiness in the national and international markets, especially when compared to regions with better logistical infrastructure or greater proximity to ports. "Efficiency in the flow of production is crucial for maintaining sustainability." “The economic impact of rural properties is crucial to ensure the state's competitiveness as one of the country's main grain producers,” explained Rodrigo Silva. The data released is part of the Agricultural Production Cost (CPA) project, developed in partnership between Imea and the National Rural Learning Service of Mato Grosso (Senar MT). The initiative closely monitors the main indicators that influence rural activity, offering technical support for decision-making in the field.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.