Source: Valor Econômico
In addition to the poor road conditions, Almeida points out that freight has become more expensive due to several factors: high Selic rate, increase in ICMS on diesel (R$ 1,17/liter), readjustment of the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) table, above 3%, and the beginning of the tax reform with the Value Added Tax (VAT), not to mention the geopolitical instability in the world, which affects the price of diesel. "The demand for fast deliveries of online purchases and electronics also increases the pressure on prices and for more efficient assets," says the executive.
According to Fernandes, diesel weighs heavily on the structure of transport companies, as it is directly linked to the day-to-day operation. “The reduction in PIS and Cofins tax rates (32 cents), decreed by the federal government in March, and the subsidy on diesel by Petrobras (32 cents) may help alleviate some of the pressure the sector has been feeling with fuel prices,” explains the director of Edenred. “But it is important to emphasize that tensions in the Middle East continue. Therefore, the effects of the international market may continue to influence the price of diesel upwards. It is a very difficult time to predict the behavior of diesel due to the uncertainties,” says the executive. “The transporter feels the cost, which, in turn, is passed on to the shipper; the latter has reduced margins and is led to seek greater operational efficiency in its logistics system,” adds Almeida, from Strada.
