Brazilian iron ore exports (pellets excluded) for March totaled 25.768 million metric tons (mt), compared with 26.262 million mt in February, according to data from Secex, Brazil’s foreign trade secretariat of the ministry of development, industry and foreign trade.
The 1.9 percent decline reflects a seasonal trend of lower shipments to China during the first quarter of the year, due to the country’s holiday period, as well as stoppages related to blast furnace maintenance.
On average, Brazil exported 18.9 million mt per month of iron ore to China during the first quarter of 2026, against an average of 19.7 million mt during the same quarter in 2025. These numbers compare with 24.4 million mt per month when considering the full year of 2025.
The main destinations were Asia (22.727 million mt, of which 19.471 million mt to China), Europe (1.680 million mt), South America (666,600 mt), Africa (364,200 mt) and the Middle East (174,600 mt), while smaller volumes were shipped to the US and to Mexico.
Meanwhile, pellet exports in March declined 2.6 percent to 2.165 million mt from the 2.222 million mt exported in February.
The pellet exports were destined to Asia (807,500 mt), Egypt (489,300 mt), Europe (319,700 mt), Argentina (270,300 mt), the US (155,800 mt), and Trinidad and Tobago (81,000 mt).
