NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD NEWS) — China’s state-owned food company COFCO plans to more than double soybean crushing capacity at its Rondonópolis plant in Brazil, adding another major piece to the global race for soy processing. Dr. Fred Gale says the project shows how Brazil, China, and the United States are all pushing to capture more value through crushed rather than raw bean exports.
The expansion would raise the plant’s capacity from 4,500 metric tons per day to about 10,000. Annual processing capacity would reach 1.35 million metric tons, with output including soybean oil, meal, and about 350,000 metric tons of biodiesel.
The location is important. Rondonópolis sits in Brazil’s west-central soybean region and is connected by rail to Santos port, where COFCO is also expanding shipping capacity. The project aims to improve control over product flows, add export value, and reduce pressure on harvest-season logistics.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Global soybean competition is moving deeper into crush capacity, logistics, and value-added product control.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
Gale notes that the move comes as Brazil’s overall crush capacity continues to rise. At the same time, China already has excess crush capacity and weak margins, which could make additional competition from soy oil and meal harder for existing processors.
The broader takeaway is that soybean competition is shifting beyond production and exports. It is now increasingly a battle over who controls processing, logistics, and supply chain influence.
China’s stricter inspection rules prompt Cargill to pause soybean exports from Brazil, briefly lifting U.S. soybean prices as traders anticipate potential shifts in global trade, as export demand remains supportive across all major U.S. commodities.
March 13, 2026 12:57 PM
·
Dr. David Anderson with Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension discusses how geopolitical tensions and the Middle East, along with export disruptions in the Chinese market, will shape cattle markets in the months ahead.
March 12, 2026 12:54 PM
·
For producers, success this season will require more than just a clean field; it will require meticulous record-keeping, a proactive written mitigation plan, and a constant eye on both the forecast and the federal docket.
March 10, 2026 05:04 PM
·
HTS Commodities’ Lewis Williamson provides updates on how growers are preparing for spring planting in an unpredictable agricultural landscape.
March 10, 2026 03:45 PM
·
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney explains how geopolitical developments in the Middle East can create energy-driven pressures that impact the supply chain and reshape demand for certain ag products.
March 10, 2026 03:27 PM
·
India trade tensions may affect the U.S. export outlook.
March 10, 2026 01:23 PM
·
