There are always two sides to the same story. While the rains have been well received by farmers in Mato Grosso during the planting and growth season of soybeans, truck drivers are not as receptive. Roads that are not asphalted in some parts of the state have become impassable for trucks and have made deliveries difficult.

Traffic jams, pot holes, and underwater roads have been the theme during this rain season. The main corridor to transport the agriculture products of Mato Grosso often offers risks and losses to drivers.

We are abandoned here with broken springs and bearings, consuming more fuel without any security, says Edmar Silva.

Corn delivery concerns

Farmers from the area are concerned with the corn they have to take from the farm to the ports and with the upcoming soybean harvest as well. The region located in the northeast of the state ends up having grains with less competitive prices, since the freight to deliver inputs and to take the products out of the farm is around 10% to 15% higher due to these poor road conditions.

A cry for help

The VP of Aprosoja (Association of Soybean Farmers of Mato Grosso), Lucas Beber, is asking the government why these roads are yet not paved. Farmers have been mandated to pay three types of taxes for almost 20 years that are supposed to go to these kinds of infrastructure improvements, but they have not seen any of it return.

The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of Farm Futures or Farm Progress.