Brazil plans private Amazon highway linking agribusiness to China

Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

The BR-364 highway, originally built in the 1960s, has long been associated with Amazon deforestation. Today, it is back in the spotlight after the government granted a 30-year concession covering 426 miles between Porto Velho and Vilhena, in Rondônia state, to a consortium formed by 4UM Investimentos and Opportunity Bank. The deal involves an investment of $2.1 billion to upgrade, duplicate, and modernize the route.

Planned improvements include additional lanes, pedestrian crossings, wildlife underpasses, and enhanced access to Madeira River waterway terminals, creating direct connections between overland, river, and port logistics. The project is part of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s vision of strengthening South American integration through bioceanic corridors linking the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

Strategically, the road is expected to boost exports of soybeans, corn, beef, and minerals from Brazil’s central-west agribusiness heartland to Pacific ports in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, cutting shipping times to Asia. Officials from the Ministry of Planning estimate that the new trade route could shorten delivery times to China by up to 30%, giving Brazilian agribusiness a significant competitive edge.

Yet, environmental groups warn that the expansion of BR-364 could trigger a new wave of deforestation, replicating the destructive cycle seen decades ago. They caution that the road could attract illegal loggers, miners, and land grabbers into sensitive rainforest areas, undermining Brazil’s international climate commitments.

Supporters argue that the highway will lower transport costs, strengthen Brazil’s role as a global food supplier, and generate new jobs in Rondônia, one of Brazil’s most economically vulnerable states. For the federal government, the challenge will be balancing economic growth with environmental oversight, ensuring that the road serves as a bridge to development rather than a pathway to ecological collapse.

* Original text in Spanish. Translated by Large Language Model (LLM) technology.

Main Source:

Brazil’s first private Amazon road paves new trade route to China – Mongabay

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