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.
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.
