Brazilian pecan exports slow as logistics and European rules weigh on shipments
Brazilian pecan exports have lost momentum amid container shortages, higher freight costs and new European sanitary requirements. IBPecan nevertheless expects the 2026 harvest to reach 6,500-7,000 tonnes as new orchards mature and yields recover.
Freight disruption limits pecan shipments
Brazilian pecan exports have slowed in recent months as logistics bottlenecks, new European sanitary requirements and uncertainty over global trade reduced the pace of shipments. SpaceMoney, citing the Brazilian Pecan Institute (IBPecan), reported that the industry is entering a period of adjustment even as it prepares for a larger domestic harvest in 2026.
IBPecan President Claiton Wallauer said conflicts in the Middle East have reduced container availability and increased ocean freight costs. The resulting rise in logistics expenses has made negotiations with foreign buyers more difficult and cut shipment volumes, particularly to destinations served by longer maritime routes. The pressure affects exporters' ability to quote competitively and raises the cost of holding product while transport is arranged.
US policy creates risk and a possible opening
Brazilian suppliers are also monitoring tariff measures announced by the US government for South American products. Their precise effect on pecans has not yet been established, but the uncertainty is already a concern for exporters assessing contracts and market access. The United States is especially important to the global pecan industry as both a major producer and a central influence on international supply and pricing.
Wallauer said the same market could still offer an opportunity for Brazil. The United States and Mexico recorded smaller harvests in the last cycle, according to the IBPecan assessment, which could keep international pecan prices elevated. Reduced supply from Brazil's principal competitors may therefore support Brazilian sales, even if wider US tariff measures create additional costs or barriers for South American goods.
The balance between these forces remains uncertain. Higher international prices can improve returns for growers and processors, but expensive freight and unclear tariff treatment can absorb part of that advantage. Exporters must also manage the risk that product becomes available faster than overseas sales channels can accommodate it.
European requirements constrain market access
Europe presents a separate regulatory challenge. New sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for imported nuts have made shipments to the continent more difficult, Wallauer said, affecting exporters worldwide. The Brazilian industry hopes the requirements will be reviewed so that sales can resume more freely. In the meantime, negotiations with Asian buyers are also progressing at a slower pace, while IBPecan works to establish Brazilian pecans in additional markets.
These external constraints coincide with expectations for a robust 2026 Brazilian crop. IBPecan forecasts production of between 6,500 and 7,000 tonnes, supported by the maturation of new orchards and an anticipated recovery in productivity. That expansion could give processors and exporters more product to market, but it also increases the importance of securing buyers and reliable shipping capacity before the harvest reaches commercial channels.
The institute expects conditions to begin improving between July and August, when international negotiations may stabilize. A recovery in foreign demand, combined with the projected crop, could return the sector to growth. The outcome will depend on whether freight availability improves, European regulatory obstacles ease and exporters can convert tighter supplies in the United States and Mexico into viable sales.
