Brazil’s exports in January reached a record US$ 9.27 billion. With imports at US$ 6.42 billion, the country’s trade surplus rose to US$ 2.84 billion, the highest ever for January.
The government expects 2006 total exports will reach the target set by the Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Luiz Fernando Furlan, of US$ 132 billion.
The final, cumulative total of exports for 2005 was US$ 118 billion, with increases in all economic segments: manufactured goods, semi-manufactured and raw materials.
Cumulative exports between February 2005 and January 2006 reached over US$ 120 billion, up 22.4%, compared to the period February 2004 to January 2005.
Chicken
The chicken export sector had its best year and set new records in 2005, reports the sector trade association (Associação Brasileira dos Produtores e Exportadores de Frangos) (Abef).
The association says a total of 2.84 million tons of chicken meat was exported (up 15% compared to 2004), worth US$ 3.5 billion (up 35%).
The forecast by the association is for a further increase of 5% to 10% this year.
The biggest buyer of Brazilian chicken in 2005 was the Middle East, with 848,500 tons, worth US$ 995.2 million; up 14% and 38%, respectively, compared to 2004.
Asia was the second biggest buyer with 756,900 tons (up 20%), worth US$ 1.01 billion (up 34%). In Asia, Japan was the big buyer, with 404,700 tons worth US$ 693.4 million.
Although it is still a small market, it was the South American region where the biggest increase in volume of chicken exports occurred: up 39.5%, reaching 114,800 tons, worth US$ 119.3 million (up 81%).
Three other big markets for Brazilian chicken exports were: European Union (387,000 tons, worth US$ 728.2 million; Russia 258,100 tons, worth US$ 267.2 million; and Africa 191,700 tons, worth US$ 135.7 million.
Abef reports that an embargo which went into effect on December 13 on chicken imports from the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná by Russia did not affect the total.
Agência Brasil