The expressive growth of imports caused the trade balance result for the sector to become negative, with imports exceeding exports by US$ 27.14 million. Exports grew too, but below the expansion of imports, just 1.6%. The total exported by the graphic arts industry was US$ 151.3 million.
Editorial products, like books and magazines, were responsible for US$ 62.67 million of the imports, or 35% of the total. Other sectors that also contributed to the increase of purchases abroad were printed cards, with US$ 50.51 million, packages, with US$ 29.71 million and promotional products, US$ 21.99 million.
The main graphic arts product exported by Brazil, in turn, was packaging, with sales of US$ 49.20 million, or 32.5% of the total. Foreign sales of copybooks totaled US$ 36.46 million, and those of printed cards, US$ 24.84 million.
In a press statement, the Abigraf president, Alfried Plí¶ger, stated that exports represented less than 2% of total graphic arts sales and therefore the performance does not significantly affect the final result of the industry. He attributed the shy export growth to exchange rates.