What impact will EU deforestation law have on Brazilian soy trade with EU?

ABIOVE represents traders and processors responsible for exports, while APROSOJA represents large soybean landowners. Both associations have been vocal about the industry’s readiness and the implications of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

Soybean powerhouse

As the world’s largest soybean producer, Brazil has seen its share of the global soybean trade grow steadily. In 2023, Brazilian soybean exports reached a record 3,744 million bushels, according to that country’s Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex).​​ 

Almost 70% of the country’s soybean production was exported in 2023 (Secex, 2024). The EU is the second-largest market for Brazilian soybean and derivative exports, after China, accounting for 14% of these exports ​​in 2022, with a value of $8.8bn. 

ABIOVE told us that the Brazilian soy industry has long been preparing to comply with environmental legislation. “Regarding the EUDR, there are several actions underway. The main one is to persuade the EU Commission and national authorities to recognize controls and systems that companies in the sector already have for verifying legality and zero deforestation, along with the Brazilian government’s official monitoring systems that generate information used by companies,” the organization said.