As Trump’s victimization strategy continues, China buys soybeans from Brazil

Publicado em 24/04/2025

In an unusual move, Brazil sold 2.4 million tons of soybeans to China along April 2025, equivalent to 40 shipments, just in the first half of the month week.

Published on April 11, 2025

Broadcasted by Radio Eldorado / Estadão-Brazil

*José Luiz Tejon

In an unusual move, Brazil sold 2.4 million tons of soybeans to China along April 2025, equivalent to 40 shipments, just in the first half of the month week. Experts consider this volume completely unexpected, as China takes advantage of competitive Brazilian soybean prices amid the unfeasibility of importing from the United States.  

Trump’s trade war has also increased profit margins for soybean processors in China, redirecting purchases toward Brazil. This trend is likely to expand soybean and corn farmland in Brazil for the next harvest. In what amounts to an economic nuclear war, we can expect rising prices for essential goods like food, along with growing demand and higher food costs.  

China boasts the largest pork, poultry, and agricultural industries in the world, supporting a population of over 1.4 billion people. As the biggest grain consumer globally, it has steadily increased its imports from Brazil since Trump’s first term, reducing its dependence on the U.S., which is now Brazil's biggest competitor in agribusiness.

Some analysts believe the U.S. sales strategy is merely a bargaining tactic, first announcing chaos and then projecting an air of calm. After all, the U.S. still accounts for nearly 30% of the global economy. Is this a deliberate strategy? Undermining trust in other nations’ food security has never worked in the long run.  

However, depending on how GDP is measured, some scholars argue China’s economy has already surpassed the U.S. By 2050, conventional estimates suggest China will be the world’s largest economy, followed by the U.S., India, Indonesia, Japan, and Brazil in sixth place.  

In this turbulent battle of egos fueled by Trump’s trade strategy, Brazil’s wisest course of action is to remain calm and prioritize urgent investments in infrastructure and logistics.

So far, the only concrete result of Donald Trump’s actions has been outperforming the ratings of BBB (Big Brother Brazil), replaced instead by BBT (Big Brother Trump).  

Trump started by instilling fear globally, yet surprisingly, his rhetoric positions himself as a victim: "The world treats us unfairly; we’re the planet’s forgotten and helpless."

No doubt, he’s a "clever salesman" using his immense bargaining power, shouting, complaining, crying, and posing as a victim. A whiny salesman, indeed!  

*José Luiz Tejon - PhD in Education Universidad de La Empresa/Uruguay. Master's degree in Art Education and History of Culture - Mackenzie University. Journalist and Publicist - Harvard, MIT and PACE/USA/Insead in France Specialisation Academic Coordinator of Master Science Food & Agribusiness Management at Audencia in Nantes/France and FECAP/Brazil. Managing Partner at Biomarketing and TCA International. Professional Head at Agro Anefac. Writer author and co-author of 37 books. Agro Personality Award 2023/ABAG.100 Most Influential People in Agribusiness 2025 Award Agroworld Group. Former director of Grupo Estadão, Agroceres and Jacto S/A.