During the first two months of this year, Brazil’s exports amounted to US$ 15 billion, 30% more than over the same period last year. According to the Ministry of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade, Amapá, the Federal District, Amazonas, Rio Grande do Norte, and Pernambuco were the states that registered the largest increases.
“The performance of the Brazilian export balance exceeds our official forecast of 12%. The actual performance of foreign trade is leaving us surprised and is exceeding even the official targets,” the secretary of Foreign Trade, Ivan Ramalho, said in an interview on NBr, the television station of the Executive branch.
According to Ramalho, January and February’s positive results are due to market diversification.
“If we examine Brazilian exports in the recent period, we shall verify that there has been a great diversification in where our exports go, and the greatest increases have occurred precisely in exports to markets considered non-traditional, such as Central America, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Caribbean countries.”
Over the past 12 months, Brazilian exports have surpassed US$ 100 billion.
The most noteworthy products were automobiles, airplanes, iron ore, petroleum, sugar, and chicken.
“This was the target for us to attain by the end of Lula’s Administration in 2006. It was anticipated, mainly because of the large growth in Brazilian exports in 2004 and the first two months of 2005,” the secretary remarked.
Translation: David Silberstein
Agência Brasil