SAO PAULO: Truckers in Brazil partially blocked two federal roads at four points in the top soybean growing state of Mato Grosso on Monday, the federal highway police said. The protest has never blocked more than 20 points on federal highways since it started on Thursday.
Traffic was stopped at more than 100 points at times during a two-week strike in late February.
The drivers have been in talks with the government and freight companies since March but failed to get a commitment on their main demands of fixed pay rates and lower fuel prices.
Brazil is in the final days of a record soybean harvest, and global traders and futures markets have kept a close watch on the strike for any signs of disruptions to supplies of sugar, coffee, soybeans, beef and orange juice.
Some analysts say drivers have fewer incentives to stop work and protest now because freight costs have naturally risen from a few months ago due to heightened demand after the peak soy harvest.
Brazil is the world's No. 2 soybean grower and an important supplier to China this time of year.
Highway police said in a Monday morning report that one of Mato Grosso's key roads for transporting soybeans, the BR 163 highway, was partially blocked around Sorriso, Nova Mutum and Lucas do Rio Verde.
The BR 364 highway was partially blocked in Diamantino.
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