Paranaguá accounts for 47.5% of Brazilian chicken exports this year
Shipments of frozen chicken meat through Paraná's port complex exceeded 834,000 tonnes between January and April 2026, while overall port traffic increased 11% in April.
The ports of Paranaguá and Antonina handled more than six million tonnes in April 2026, their best result for the month in the historical series maintained by the port administration. The volume was 11% higher than the figure recorded in April of the previous year.
Exports grew 16.06% year on year. The main highlights included soybean shipments, which increased 43%, vegetable oils, up 35%, and petroleum products, which grew 33%.
From January through April, soybean exports increased 19%, while vegetable oils rose 33%. Containerized cargo grew 9%, and petroleum products were up 2% compared with the same period in 2025.
The Paraná complex also expanded its share of foreign trade in animal proteins. In April, exports of frozen chicken meat grew 10.5% from the same month in 2025. Considering the first four months of the year, shipments from Paranaguá accounted for 47.5% of Brazilian exports of the product, with more than 834,000 tonnes sent abroad.
Across animal proteins, the ports recorded 8.7% growth in April, with more than 1.1 million tonnes shipped. Between January and April, this volume represented 38% of all Brazilian exports of animal protein during the period. China, South Africa, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates were the main destinations mentioned in the survey.
On the import side, April saw a 2.7% increase from the same month in 2025. General cargo grew 254%, while wheat discharges increased 50%, fertilizer discharges 18%, and container handling 14%.
Despite a 5.8% decline in imports accumulated through April, cargo diversification kept the ports' operational total at 22.7 million tonnes, a level similar to that of the same period in 2025. Roll-on/roll-off cargo, such as vehicles, machinery, and agricultural equipment, totaled 42,657 units in the four-month period; more than 15,500 of them were loaded or unloaded in April alone.
Source
Administration of the Ports of Paranaguá and Antonina: https://www.portosdoparana.pr.gov.br/Noticia/Movimentacao-cresce-11-e-garante-melhor-abril-da-historia-nos-portos-paranaenses