French commodities trader Louis Dreyfus Co vaulted ahead to third place in the rankings for Brazil's biggest soy exporters in 2018, locked in a virtual dead heat with China's COFCO, according to annual shipping data.
Bunge Ltd. continued to top the rankings, while Cargill Inc. remained in second place, according to data from shipping company Williams compiled by Reuters.
Brazil, the world's largest soybean exporter, shipped a record 84 million tonnes of the oilseeds in 2018 after harvesting its largest crop ever, with most of it going to China.
The final standings confirm that grain handlers, which improved logistics and farmer relationships in Brazil, reaped rewards from the U.S.-Chinese trade war.
