Paraná-based cooperative Coopavel is moving forward with two new grain storage units in Nova Aurora and Cascavel, scheduled for completion by December 2027. The project, financed with R$ 79.9 million (roughly USD 15.5 million at recent rates) from Brazil's National Development Bank (BNDES), will add capacity for 80,000 tonnes of grain to supply the cooperative's feed factories. "Here you have to store the product 12 months," said Dilvo Grolli, president of Coopavel's board of directors.
The storage investment sits within a broader capital cycle. Between 2024 and 2026, Coopavel's investments are expected to exceed R$ 1.2 billion: R$ 250 million in 2024, R$ 477.3 million in 2025, and R$ 500 million in 2026. The cooperative, with 8,000 members across 21 Paraná municipalities, posted net income of R$ 150.9 million in 2025 and projects revenue growth of up to 10% in 2027.
Feed and meat expansion
A new feed factory is among the next planned investments. Grolli said the goal is to raise daily chicken slaughter from 300,000 to 350,000 birds by 2028, a 17% increase. In fish farming, a segment the cooperative entered in 2024, the aim is to control more stages from feed production through meat processing.
Revenue revised downward
Coopavel revised its 2026 revenue forecast from R$ 7.5 billion to R$ 7 billion, citing falling prices for inputs sold to farmers and slow grain marketing. Even at the lower figure, projected revenue would exceed 2025's R$ 6.33 billion by 11%.
China remains strategic despite diversification push
China's push to reduce supplier dependency does not mean it will buy less from Brazil, according to Adílson Martins, Deloitte's agribusiness lead partner. Brazil remains strategic given its land, climate, water, and exportable food surplus, he said. The challenge, Martins added, is capturing more value by advancing industrialization rather than exporting raw grains and commodities.
Beef offal exports await Chinese approval
Brazilian beef exporters are awaiting Chinese authorization to ship bovine offal, with negotiations described as advanced by government sources. "There is room for the market opening to come through by December. It depends on China," said a meatpacking executive. Chinese consumers prize offal for stews and Asian dishes, and the cuts carry higher added value. Industry leaders also see offal exports as a way to operate outside the quota system governing beef shipments, which is unlikely to change before 2028.
Pasta makers pivot to Central America
Brazil's pasta and biscuit industry is seeking buyers in Central America after losing ground in the United States, its main market in 2026. According to industry association Abimapi, Brazilian companies lost US$ 15 million in U.S. sales between 2025 and June 2026 amid tariff measures. Twelve manufacturers have approached buyers in Panama, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. "We started to scratch Central America," said Abimapi president Claudio Zanão.