Brazil's trade balance has already reached a surplus of US$ 736 million in the month of November, with imports at US$ 3.505 billion and exports at US$ 4.241 billion.
In the accumulated result for the year, until November 11th, the trade balance surplus stood at US$ 35.112 billion, a reduction of 11% compared with the same period of last year (US$ 39.430 billion).
During the period, imports (US$ 101.497 billion) grew more than exports (US$ 136.609 billion), or 28.9% and 15.6%, respectively, in comparison with 2006.
Financial market analysts heard by the Brazilian Central Bank estimate that the total trade balance surplus this year should be US$ 40.79 billion.
Poultry Exports
Brazilian exports of chicken meat totaled US$ 508 million in October, representing an increase of 59% over the same month of last year. In total, 313,000 tons were shipped, a 21% rise using the same basis for comparison. The data were disclosed Monday, November 12, by the Brazilian Poultry Exporters Association (Abef).
From January to October, foreign sales of the product totaled US$ 3.95 billion, a 52.7% rise over the first ten months of last year. Total shipments stood at 2.7 million tons, 22% more than recorded in the same period of 2006.
According to the Abef, the performance indicates that chicken meat exports may end this year with 3.1 million tons shipped and revenues of US$ 4.5 billion, which is going to be a record high to the sector.
The Middle East was the leading destination for shipments of the Brazilian product. Until October, 806,000 tons were shipped, a 37% rise over the first ten months of last year.
Sales totaled US$ 1 billion, 65% more than in the same period of 2006. Exports to the European Union also totaled US$ 1 billion, an increase of 83%. Shipments amounted to 457,000 tons, representing a 43% growth.
Next in the list are the Asian countries, at 670,000 tons shipped, the African countries, at 203,000 tons, Russia, at 158,000 tons, and South America, at 144,000 tons.