Feb 23, 2026
First Shipment of DDGs Leave Brazil Destined for China
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The first vessel of Brazilian DDGs destined for China left the Brazilian port of Imbituba, Santa Catarina, last week loaded with 62,000 tons of DDGs. This represents a breakthrough in the Brazilian export agenda.
The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture worked with their Chinese counterpart to inspect and register production facilities interested in accessing the new Chinese market. In all, 13 Brazilian facilities were officially authorized to export DDGs to China after technical evaluations that verified good manufacturing practices, safety controls, traceability and other requirements required by the Chinese authorities.
DDGs have been gaining relevance in Brazil export market. In 2024, Brazil exported 791,000 tons of DDGs and in 2025, Brazil exported 879,358 tons of DDGs to 25 markets, a growth of 9.7% compared to 2025 according to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC) compiled by the National Union of Corn Ethanol (UNEM).
The advance of DDG exports is directly related to the expansion of the Brazilian corn ethanol industry, which projects the production of almost 10 billion liters of corn ethanol for the 2025/26 crop. The combination of opening new markets and expanding production capacity reinforces Brazil's role as a reliable and competitive supplier in the global chain of animal nutrition and bioenergy.