DataLiner March Data: Brazil Shows Resilience Amid Global Uncertainty

Brazil’s foreign trade kicked off 2025 with signs of resilience, despite an international landscape marked by economic slowdown and geopolitical tensions. Newly released data from Datamar’s Business Intelligence team reveals a modest 0.7% increase in Brazilian containerized exports in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. For March alone, the growth was 0.4%.

Among the main exported products, cotton (+9.2%) and meats (+8.2%) stood out, helping sustain this slight expansion. On the other hand, wood exports fell by 7.22%. When analyzed by destination, Vietnam (+15.3%) and the Netherlands (+8.3%) increased their imports of Brazilian goods, while shipments to China (-21.1%), Mexico (-19.9%), and the United States (-0.1%) declined significantly.

Below is a five-year comparison of Brazilian container exports, based on DataLiner data:

Brazilian Exports | Jan 2022 – Mar 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Containerized imports, meanwhile, posted more robust growth—up 13.3% in the first quarter—driven by the recovery of industrial activity and investments in strategic sectors. In March alone, imports rose by 2.5%. High-value-added products led the list, including reactors, boilers, and machinery (+46.1%), electrical equipment (+35.5%), and vehicles and auto parts (+15.3%).

China remains the top origin for Brazilian imports, with a 16.06% increase, while India surged by 46.6%. Conversely, imports from the United States dropped 5.9%.

See below the five-year performance of Brazilian containerized imports. Data provided by DataLiner:

Brazilian Imports | Jan 2022 – Mar 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

This performance reflects Brazil’s adaptability in an increasingly unstable global environment. In 2025, international trade is at a turning point, pressured by protectionist policies, shifting trade alliances, and growing tensions between the world’s largest economies.

In the United States, President Donald Trump’s second-term protectionist agenda imposed a 10% tariff on most imports and surcharges of up to 145% on Chinese goods. China retaliated with tariffs of up to 125% on U.S. products and has been diversifying its trade partnerships and strengthening ties with emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The European Union responded with a €95 billion retaliation package, seeking to mitigate the negative impact on its industrial sectors and exploring further measures through the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO revised its global trade forecasts, projecting a 0.2% drop in total merchandise volume in 2025, which could reach as much as 1.5% if the trade war escalates.

At the same time, foreign trade is undergoing profound structural changes. The digitalization of supply chains, through technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT), is revolutionizing operations. Simultaneously, there is growing pressure for sustainable practices and compliance with ESG (environmental, social, and governance) criteria, which are becoming increasingly critical in international trade relations.

With the advancement of regional trade agreements, such as the Mercosur-European Union deal, regionalization is emerging as a strategy to ensure stability amid the multilateral system’s fragmentation. In this context, Brazil can strengthen its global position by diversifying markets, investing in logistics infrastructure, and increasing the value-added content of its exports.

Brazil has shown adaptability despite challenges such as exchange rate volatility, logistical bottlenecks, and a heavy dependence on commodities. Foreign trade performance in the first quarter of 2025 underscores this resilience and highlights the need for strategic trade policies to support growth amid global uncertainties.

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