EN 
PT_BR 
Paraná led exports in the South region between January and July 2025, totaling . According to data from the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC), organized by the Paraná Institute for Economic and Social Development (Ipardes), the State was ahead of Rio Grande do Sul (US$1.5 billion) and Santa Catarina (US$1.5 billion) and was the fifth largest exporter in the country during the period.
Soybeans remain Paraná's main export, accounting for 19.71 TQ of international sales during the period, generating revenue of US$1.5T 2.6 billion. Paraná, the largest national producer and exporter of soybeans, also sold US$1.5T 2.07 billion in fresh chicken meat, accounting for 161 TQ of the state's exports.
Photo: Claudio Neves/Ports of Paraná
Other highlights were soybean meal (US$1.5T 747.4 million), raw sugar (US$1.5T 635.4 million), paper (US$1.5T 470.2 million) and automobiles (US$1.5T 441.1 million). More than half (58.4%) of Paraná's exports is made up of food, which totaled revenue of US$1.5T 7.7 billion in the period.
The main destination for Paraná goods is China, which purchased nearly US$1,500,000 from the state between January and July. The second largest market, exports to Argentina, jumped by US$97.11 billion in the period, surpassing US$1,500,000. Next in line are the United States (US$856.9 billion), still without the effect of the tariffs imposed since August, Mexico (US$512.3 billion), and Paraguay (US$361.2 billion).
Record number of pigs
Also according to the survey, Paraná's exports of fresh pork totaled US$1,500,000 in the first seven months of 2025. This value is the highest for the period in the available historical series, which began in 1997, representing an increase of US$60,31,000 compared to the accumulated total from January to July 2024.
In the last seven years, Paraná's pork sales to the international market jumped 151%, from US$$ 127.2 million in the first seven months of 2019 to US$$ 319.4 million in the same period of 2025. The increase in revenue is mainly the result of the strong increase of 100.9% in the volume sold, which went from 58.4 thousand to 117.4 thousand tons.
Photo: Shutterstock
In terms of markets, Uruguay was the destination for 17.8% of the state's fresh pork exports, followed by Hong Kong (17.5%), Argentina (16%), Singapore (14.4%), and the Philippines (12.8%). This diversity of markets demonstrates the competitiveness and quality of the meat produced in the state.
According to Ipardes CEO Jorge Callado, the growth in exports reflects investments made in recent years, both in the installation and expansion of meatpacking plants in Paraná. "This significant expansion also favors job creation. Data from the Ministry of Labor shows that pork processing plants maintain approximately 28,000 formal jobs in the state, not considering the considerable number of rural producers involved in this production chain," he explains.
State Secretary of Planning Ulisses Maia emphasizes the role of Paraná cooperatives in the sector's expansion. "Without a doubt, cooperatives have made a significant contribution to the prominent position achieved by the state's pig farmers and meatpackers, investing in and organizing the entire production complex," he states.
Cars
Another highlight of Paraná's foreign trade was automobile exports, which grew 76.6% in the first seven months, compared to the same period last year. The sector's revenue increased from US$$ 249.7 million from January to July 2024 to US$$ 441.1 million in 2025.
The automotive sector was one of those that saw the greatest increase in production in the first half of this year, with an increase of 15.4% compared to the first six months of 2024. This volume helped place the Paraná industry as the third that grew the most in the last semester in the country, with an increase of 5.2%, according to the Monthly Industrial Survey released last week by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
Trade balance
Paraná posted a trade surplus of US$1.2 billion in the period, with imports totaling nearly US$1.5 billion. The main products entering the state are fertilizers, which generated revenue of US$1.8 billion in the period. They are followed by auto parts (US$1.5 billion in 805.3 million), oils and fuels (US$1.5 billion in 800.4 million), organic chemicals (US$1.5 billion in 790.7 million), and pharmaceuticals (US$1.5 billion in 659.1 million).
US tariff hike
A preliminary survey by the State Treasury Department and the Paraná State Revenue Service indicates that approximately 700 companies in the state derive more than 1% of their revenue from exports to the United States. Among these, 16 companies stand out, with more than 90% of their revenue coming from the North American market. The timber sector is the main driver of these exports, being the most traded item by Paraná companies to the United States.
Photo: Claudio Neves
Paraná sells, on average, US$1.5 billion in products to the United States annually. By July 2025, this figure had reached US$856.9 million. The main products are wood and wood products (MDF, frames, doors, etc.), but in the last four years, more than 90 groups of Paraná products have reached the North American market, including machinery, mineral fuels, plastics, aluminum, sugar, coffee, fertilizers, rubber, pharmaceuticals, furniture, fish, vegetable oils, and others.
The State Government is adopting a series of measures to mitigate the impacts of the increase in import tariffs imposed by the US government on Brazil, which came into effect on August 6th. The State authorized a package of R$1,500 million in approved ICMS credits to assist companies impacted by the tariffs. The measure aims to inject resources into the most impacted production sectors.
The amount will be granted as credit to impacted companies, released through the System for Controlling the Transfer and Use of Accumulated Credits (Siscred). There is a limit of R$10 million only for companies that export less than R$101,000 of their total revenue to the United States. Transfers will be made in 12 monthly installments, ensuring immediate liquidity for these sectors, primarily for cash flow.
Other support comes through the provision of credit with below-market interest rates and a grace period. The Regional Development Bank of the Far South (BRDE) made available an initial emergency credit of R$$ 200 million to exporting companies and cooperatives in Paraná for working capital financing, with a five-year term, including a one-year grace period, and an interest rate of IPCA + 4%, lower than most available credit lines. Of this amount, requests for R$$ 137 million have been filed to 16 companies.
