Key findings Just 1% of traders account for over half the exports of the key forest-risk commodities from South AmericaArgentina, Brazil and Paraguay now produce almost 50% of the world’s soy, up from just 3% fifty years agoIn 2016, the six largest traders accounted for 57% of all soy exports from Brazil, but new market entrants are growing in prominenceIn 60% of Brazil’s soy-exporting municipalities a single company controls more than half of the trade by volumeExports of soy from Brazil to China have risen by 300% over the last decade spurring new competition in the marketplaceIn Matopiba, Brazil´s major agricultural frontier, dominance of the long-established traders has been diminished by new entrantsThe supply chains of the six largest traders are exposed to two-thirds of the total deforestation risk associated with soy expansion in the preceding decadeThree-quarters of the companies with the highest relative deforestation risk actively source from MatopibaHalf of the total deforestation risk associated with exports of Brazilian soy in 2016 was linked to Chinese importsDespite importing lower volumes, EU countries are exposed to a higher relative deforestation risk than ChinaMost soy production and soy-associated deforestation occurs outside the AmazonCoverage of soy traded under a zero-deforestation commitment is very uneven between regions in BrazilLess than half of soy exported from the Cerrado biome in 2016 was covered by any kind of zero-deforestation commitmentBetween 2006-2016 soy traders with recent zero-deforestation commitments have been associated with similar levels of deforestation risk as non-committed companiesTrase data show that the seven European countries that have made ZDCs through the Amsterdam Declaration remain exposed to high levels of deforestation risk
Just 1% of traders account for over half the exports of the key forest-risk commodities from South America
Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay now produce almost 50% of the world’s soy, up from just 3% fifty years ago
In 2016, the six largest traders accounted for 57% of all soy exports from Brazil, but new market entrants are growing in prominence
In 60% of Brazil’s soy-exporting municipalities a single company controls more than half of the trade by volume
Exports of soy from Brazil to China have risen by 300% over the last decade spurring new competition in the marketplace
In Matopiba, Brazil´s major agricultural frontier, dominance of the long-established traders has been diminished by new entrants
The supply chains of the six largest traders are exposed to two-thirds of the total deforestation risk associated with soy expansion in the preceding decade
Three-quarters of the companies with the highest relative deforestation risk actively source from Matopiba
Half of the total deforestation risk associated with exports of Brazilian soy in 2016 was linked to Chinese imports
Despite importing lower volumes, EU countries are exposed to a higher relative deforestation risk than China
Coverage of soy traded under a zero-deforestation commitment is very uneven between regions in Brazil
Less than half of soy exported from the Cerrado biome in 2016 was covered by any kind of zero-deforestation commitment
Between 2006-2016 soy traders with recent zero-deforestation commitments have been associated with similar levels of deforestation risk as non-committed companies
Trase data show that the seven European countries that have made ZDCs through the Amsterdam Declaration remain exposed to high levels of deforestation risk
