The Brazilian agribusiness exports yielded US$ 8.789 billion during the first three months of the year, with a 12% increase in comparison to the first quarter in 2004.
According to information released yesterday, April 11, by Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, this is a record for the period, in spite of the drought that hit the southern region of the country in the last months and caused losses in the crops.
The foreign purchases in the sector, in its turn, added up to US$ 1.223 billion, an increase in 0.58% in relation to the first three months last year.
The surplus for the period was favorable to Brazil in US$ 7.566 billion, also a historic record and 14.2% greater than what was registered in the first quarter of 2004.
According to the Ministry, the greatest increases were registered in the exports of meat (bovine, swine and poultry), sugar and alcohol, wood and wooden products, coffee, fruit juices, tobacco, vegetables and greens, milk, dairy products and eggs.
Concerning the destinations, the shipments to the Middle East increased in 28.7% and to Africa in 19.4%. The greatest increase, however, was registered in exports to Oceania (48.7%). In absolute terms, the greatest importers were, in this order, the European Union, the Nafta (excluding Mexico) and Asia.
In March alone the sector’s exports yielded US$ 3.423 billion, an increase in 5% in comparison to the same month last year. The imports, however, dropped 8.3% to US$ 454 million, which resulted in a surplus of US$ 2.97 billion, or 7.4% more than in March 2004.
The products that influenced the trade balance the most in the month were meats, sugar and alcohol and coffee. The shipments increased the most to Asia, the Nafta, the Mercosur and Africa.
Nearly US$ 40 Billion in 12 months
In the last 12 months shipments of Brazilian agribusiness yielded US$ 39.965 billion, value 22% greater than what was registered in the period from April 2003 to March 2004.
With US$ 4.887 billion in imports, the surplus favourable to Brazil was of US$ 35.078 billion. In this period, the products that influenced exports the most were the soy complex (grains, chaff and oil), meats, wood and wooden products and sugar and alcohol.
Africa (+37.7% and the Middle East (+33%) lost only to the South American countries, excluding the Mercosur (Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay), as the destinations that increased the most in the last 12 months.
Anba