Brazilian flower and ornamental plant export has generated US$ 18 million between January and September this year, a 24.2% increase in relation to the same period last year, according to information from Ibraflor, the Brazilian Institute of Floriculture.
According to the Ibraflor, the fresh flower sector showed the greatest growth.
Export totalled US$ 3.248 million between January and September, an increase of 123.4% with regard to the same period in 2003.
The US market was the one that purchased the greatest volume of fresh flowers, with import of US$ 2.184 million.
But other destinations included in the list are Holland, the largest flower producer and exporter in the world, Portugal, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, Spain, Chile, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates.
Ornamental flower saplings, however, were responsible for the greatest export volume. Shipping of these products generated US$ 8.547 million, or 21% more than in the first nine months of last year.
In this case, the largest market is Holland (45.95%) of the total, followed by Italy, Japan, the United States, Belgium and the United Kingdom.
In the list of destinations for these products, other countries included are Germany, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates.
The second sector that most exported was the bulb, tubercle and rhizome sector, which had revenues of US$ 4.789 million with foreign trade between January and September, or 17.19% more than in the same period in 2003.
In this case, Holland is also the main buyer (86.37% of the total), followed by the United States, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela. Among the new buyers are Canada and Argentina.
The rest of the sector trade basket is composed of dried leaves and green leaves and branches. Most of the plants exported come from the state of São Paulo.
In the month of September alone, flower and ornamental plant export generated US$ 1.408 million, or 3.7% more than in the same period last year.
Between January and September, the trade balance of Brazilian floriculture had a surplus of US$ 14.031 million.
The United Arab Emirates imported the equivalent to US$ 31,802 in the period January-September, being US$ 31,217 in ornamental plant saplings, grown in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, and US$ 585 in fresh flowers from the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo.
Ibraflor clarifies that the Emirates is a new market, sales to the region started in May and are currently at an experimental phase.
“The performance of sector exports permits maintenance of the 2004 end of year forecasts, at least US$ 25 million, 30% growth over last year,” states the report prepared by Antonio Hélio Junqueira and Marcial da Silva Peetz, institute consultants.
ANBA – Brazil-Arab News Agency