Understand the importance of railroads for corn transportation in Brazil
Brazil is one of the main corn producers and exporters in the world, second only to the United States and China. Within the country, corn has a prominent position, with a crop that makes up about 40% of total grain production. As this cereal is destined both to supply the domestic market and for exports, the transport of corn in Brazil is a decisive process for the country's economy.
According to a survey carried out by the IBGE, in 2019, the corn crop in the country reached a record value of 102.6 million tons. While part of this production was destined for the domestic market in Brazil, almost half was exported. More specifically, 43.2 million tons, yielding $7.34 billion. This value places corn as the 5th product that the country most exported during the year in question.
Before learning about corn transportation in Brazil, let's get to know the main points of national production of this grain.
Content Index
Corn production in Brazil
The Midwest is the Brazilian region with the highest corn productivity, with numbers greater than the sum of grain production in the North, Northeast and Southeast regions. In 2019, the region's production totaled 56.8 million tons, which is about 55% of the entire national crop.
In second place is the South, with 21.6 million tons of corn. It is worth noting that these values are significant even considering that the region has a corn planting area three times smaller than the area used in Mato Grosso: 3.7 million hectares against 9.2 million hectares.
Mato Grosso maintains its position as the largest grain producer in the country. The case of corn is no different: in 2019, the state produced 31.5 million tons, generating revenue of R$11.8 billion.
Pensando em municípios que se destacaram, Sorriso (MT) contribuiu com 3,1 milhões de toneladas. Rio Verde, em Goiás, fica na segunda posição, com 2,3 milhões de toneladas. Por fim, Jataí (GO), também é um dos municípios de maior produção de milho, com 1,6 milhões de toneladas.
Grain transport system
Now that we know the main figures for national production, let's understand how the loading and unloading of railroad wagons for corn transport in Brazil works.
The first step is to carry out a study on the load that will be transported to determine which type of wagon will be the most suitable.
Once the wagon has been chosen, it must be taken to the weighing area. It is worth remembering that it is important to measure the weight of the empty wagon before weighing it with the load, in order to determine the difference. To learn more about wagon weighing processes, access our article on the subject.
In the case of corn, the loading of the wagon is usually carried out either by structures in the warehouses themselves, such as Hoppers, or by some other vehicle, such as tractors and trucks.
After arriving at the destination, the unloading of grain is also usually carried out by hoppers. In this case, an outlet is opened for the load at the bottom of the wagon so that the grains can reach the equipment, where another weighing is carried out.
Importance of the rail mode
As it was possible to perceive in the first item, corn is one of the foundations of Brazilian agribusiness . In addition to playing a very important role in exports, it is a food widely used for human nutrition and, above all, for the manufacture of animal feed.
Therefore, a determining aspect in the economic growth related to this branch is the way in which corn is transported in Brazil. According to a survey carried out by the Research and Extension Group in Agroindustrial Logistics at USP and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2019, the main mode of transport of grain in the country was road, with 69%. Railroads occupy the second place with 21% and, finally, waterway transport, with 10%.
However, in relation to 2010 numbers, the road modal decreased while the rail and waterway modal increased. This shows that road transport has lost ground in the market.
The preference for investments in railroad infrastructure could be a more profitable solution because of the possibility of transporting large volumes of cargo with few trips. In addition, road transport is subject to many poor quality roads that result in partial loss of cargo during the journey, as well as causing delays that harm the condition of the grains.
Another advantage of the rail modal is that most of the port areas, where exports are made, already have railroads. The obstacle would be getting investments to more efficiently connect the productive regions to these points.
How is corn transported?
The first step in determining how to transport the corn is to carry out a logistical study to get to know the nature and values of the cargo well, as well as the transport alternatives. For this, take into account the origin and destination of your cargo to decide the possible routes.
If you are transporting corn in Brazil, it is very likely that the means of transport will be varied, that is, the process may involve different modes until reaching the place of unloading. Review your options before deciding which one is best for you.
The road modal requires some special care. First, make sure you choose a truck with a suitable trunk for transporting grain: those with bulk carrier and tipper body types are the most effective. Thoroughly inspect the place where the load will be placed to identify possible problems, such as fungus and holes, in advance. When choosing the route, consider the road situation to avoid cargo losses and delays.
Yet another suggestion is to avoid using bags to store the corn as this can delay the loading and unloading process.
On the other hand, if you opt for rail transport, the process can be simpler. However, it is equally essential to study the volume of cargo, the distance of the journey and the types of wagons to improve the logistics of your business to the maximum.
Conclusion
Agribusiness is one of the foundations of the Brazilian economy. One of the main responsible for this is corn, which is one of the main national commodities. For this reason, it is very important to think of ways to optimize corn transport in Brazil.
One solution that can overcome some of the country's logistical challenges is investing in other modes, such as rail, so that corn transport in Brazil is not so dependent on road transport. In this way, corn and any other productive sector can reach greater potential, strengthening the country's economy as a whole.
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