Country Guide
Exporting from Uruguay to Brazil
Mercosur co-founder with full duty-free access. Dairy, malt, rice, and vehicle manufacturing drive bilateral trade.
Mercosur member: 0% dutyUruguay is a founding member of Mercosur and Brazil's 24th largest import origin. Despite its small population (3.5 million), Uruguay is a significant exporter of dairy, malt, rice, and vehicles to Brazil. The shared border and cultural ties facilitate deep economic integration. All originating Uruguayan products enter Brazil duty-free.
Mercosur member: full duty-free access
As a Mercosur founding member, all Uruguayan originating products enter Brazil at 0% import duty. Rules of Origin requirements apply — products must be substantially produced in Uruguay.
Trade Data: Uruguay → Brazil
Source: UN Comtrade 2023Brazil reports 16.8% more imports from Uruguay than Uruguay reports in exports. This CIF/FOB spread is typical — Brazil values at CIF (including freight & insurance), while Uruguay values at FOB (port of departure). Large gaps can also indicate re-exports through third countries.
Top Uruguayan exports to Brazil by value
2023 FOB values in USD| # | Product | 2023 Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0402.21Dairy produce; milk and cream, concentrated, not containing added sugar or other... | $310.5M | Duties → |
| 2 | 1107.10Malt; not roasted | $295.2M | Duties → |
| 3 | 8704.21Vehicles; compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi... | $196.3M | Duties → |
| 4 | 3923.30Plastics; carboys, bottles, flasks and similar articles, for the conveyance or p... | $140.8M | Duties → |
| 5 | 1006.30Cereals; rice, semi-milled or wholly milled, whether or not polished or glazed | $135.2M | Duties → |
| 6 | 1517.90Edible mixtures or preparations of animal or vegetable fats or oils or of fracti... | $76.3M | Duties → |
| 7 | 0202.30Meat; of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen | $45.8M | Duties → |
| 8 | 8708.95Vehicle parts; safety airbags with inflater system; parts thereof | $43.1M | Duties → |
| 9 | 1001.99Cereals; wheat and meslin, other than durum wheat, other than seed | $39.8M | Duties → |
| 10 | 3917.10Plastics; artificial guts (sausage casings) of hardened protein or of cellulosic... | $36.1M | Duties → |
| 11 | 0402.10Dairy produce; milk and cream, concentrated or containing added sugar or other s... | $35.0M | Duties → |
| 12 | 8702.10Vehicles; public transport type (carries 10 or more persons, including driver), ... | $34.7M | Duties → |
| 13 | 1006.20Cereals; husked (brown) rice | $31.7M | Duties → |
| 14 | 0204.42Meat; of sheep (including lamb), cuts with bone in (excluding carcasses and half... | $21.1M | Duties → |
| 15 | 3904.22Vinyl chloride, other halogenated olefin polymers; plasticised poly(vinyl chlori... | $20.9M | Duties → |
| 16 | 1901.90Food preparations; of flour, meal, starch, malt extract or milk products, for us... | $20.6M | Duties → |
| 17 | 2103.90Sauces and preparations therefor; mixed condiments and mixed seasonings | $17.6M | Duties → |
| 18 | 0406.90Dairy produce; cheese (not grated, powdered or processed), n.e.c. in heading no.... | $16.9M | Duties → |
| 19 | 0403.90Dairy produce; buttermilk, curdled milk or cream, kephir, fermented or acidified... | $16.2M | Duties → |
| 20 | 4005.10Rubber; unvulcanised, compounded with carbon black or silica, in primary forms o... | $12.2M | Duties → |
Values in USD, FOB (Uruguay port of departure). Trend compares 2023 vs 2022. Click any HS code for Brazil duty rates and Ex-Tarifário status.
Key product categories
| Product | MFN duty | Mercosur rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malt Barley malt for brewing | 0% | Mercosur 0% | View HS 11 → |
| Dairy Milk powder, butter, cheese | 0% | Mercosur 0% | View HS 04 → |
| Cereals Wheat, rice | 0% | Mercosur 0% | View HS 10 → |
| Vehicles Trucks, buses, auto parts | 0% | Mercosur 0% | View HS 87 → |
| Plastics Bottles, containers, packaging | 0% | Mercosur 0% | View HS 39 → |
| Fats & oils Margarine, food preparations | 0% | Mercosur 0% | View HS 15 → |
| Meat Boneless beef, lamb | 0% | Mercosur 0% | View HS 02 → |
Dairy: Uruguay's export powerhouse
Uruguay is one of the world's top dairy exporters per capita, and Brazil is its primary market:
- Milk powder (HS 0402): over $600M — whole and skimmed milk powder for food industry
- Cheese: growing exports to Brazilian supermarket chains
- Butter and cream: complementary supply to Brazilian production
- Conaprole is Uruguay's dominant dairy cooperative, with strong presence in Southern Brazil
- 0% duty under Mercosur — but MAPA veterinary/sanitary certificates required
MAPA-authorized establishments
Source: SIGSIF/DIPOA117 Uruguayan facilities are authorized by Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture to export animal products.
Malt: feeding Brazil's beer industry
Uruguay is a significant malt producer, supplying Brazil's beer industry (Ambev, Heineken Brasil):
- Barley malt (HS 1107): over $680M — the largest single export category by value
- 0% duty under Mercosur
- Strategic supplier: geographic proximity gives Uruguay a logistics advantage over European malt
Vehicle manufacturing
Uruguay has vehicle assembly operations (Lifan, Chery, Nordex) that produce for the Brazilian market:
- Trucks and buses (HS 8704, 8702): over $480M combined
- 0% duty under Mercosur — provided vehicles meet Mercosur Rules of Origin
- Automotive integration: Brazil and Uruguay have deep automotive supply chain integration
Free Trade Zones: Zonamerica and others
Uruguay's Free Trade Zones (Zonas Francas) are used for manufacturing and services, but products from these zones may face origin complications:
- Zonamerica: primarily services and technology — not typically goods export
- Industrial FTZs: goods produced in Zonas Francas may have different origin treatment
- Certificate of Origin: verify Mercosur origin compliance for goods from FTZs
Practical next steps
- Find your product's NCM code
- Obtain Certificate of Origin from Uruguayan Chamber of Commerce
- Calculate the full landed cost — set import duty to 0% for Mercosur-originating goods
- Verify MAPA/ANVISA requirements for food and dairy products