Imports grew 16.8% in comparison with January 2009. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, imports totaled US$ 11.471 billion, or a daily average of US$ 573.6 million, as against US$ 491 million in January last year.
As a result, the trade balance, which is the difference between exports and imports, recorded a deficit of US$ 166 million (daily average of US$ 8.3 million).
In January 2009, the deficit was US$ 529 million. Despite the trade deficit, the result was 67.1% better than in the same month of last year, when the average daily deficit was US$ 25.2 million.
Total trade – i.e. the sum of imports and exports – reached US$ 22.776 billion, resulting in a daily average of US$ 1.138 billion. The figure is 19% greater than recorded in January of last year (US$ 956.8 million).
Taking into consideration the fifth week of January alone (from the 25th to the 31st), the balance of trade showed a US$ 730 million surplus, at a daily average of US$ 146 million – US$ 3.254 billion in exports, at a daily average of US$ 650.8 million; and US$ 2.524 billion in imports, at a daily average of US$ 504.8 million.
Khartoum Fair
Khartoum International Fair, in Sudan, began Monday with Brazilian stand, organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Brazilian embassy in Sudan, for the fifth time. The multi-sector fair should end on the 8th.
In this edition, apart from institutional presence promoted by the Arab Brazilian Chamber and the embassy, the space will include representatives of three Brazilian organizations: Grendene, in the shoe sector, JBS Friboi group, the largest conglomerate in the meat sector in the world, and furniture factory Fiasini.
The secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Michel Alaby, should be representing the organization. Apart from participating in the fair, he plans to have meetings with businessmen and representatives of sector organizations in Sudan.
There is already a meeting scheduled with the Giad group, a Sudanese conglomerate that operates in several sectors. According to Alaby, the company is interested in building ethanol mills in the African country.
There is already a factory of the kind in Sudan, belonging to Kenana Sugar Company. Inaugurated last year, the plant was built with machinery and equipment supplied by the Brazilian Dedini, specialized in the sector. The country, as is the case with Brazil, is a great producer of sugarcane.
Exports from Brazil to Sudan generated US$ 97.34 million last year, growth of 91.5% in comparison with 2008. The main products shipped were sugar, machinery and equipment, tobacco, tractors and electric material.