From the Newsroom
São Paulo – Brazilian agribusiness export to Africa totalled US$ 1.225 billion in the first seven months of the year, as against US$ 706 million in the same period in 2003. There was an increase of almost 74%. According to a report announced yesterday (9) by the Ministry of Agriculture, the main reason for such performance was the growth in sales to Egypt and Morocco, respectively 119% and 92%.
"A diversification in export destinations may be observed in the analysis of export by economic blocs, with special attention to the elevated variation of sales to non-traditional markets," states the document.
To the Middle East, sector shipping generated US$ 1.542 billion, against US$ 975 million in the period between January and July last year. There was growth of over 58%.
In July, shipping to Africa generated US$ 232 million, against US$ 142 million in the same month in 2003, an increase of over 63%. In the case of the Middle East, agribusiness export totalled US$ 245 million, as against US$ 171 million in July last year, 43% growth.
Among the destinations, Syria was one of the highlights in July. Shipping revenues to the country rose 855% when compared to July last year.
Total
In total, sector export in the month generated US$ 3.748 billion, 44.4% more than that registered in the month of July 2003. This was a record for the month of July. Import totalled US$ 391 million and the sector trade balance surplus for Brazil totalled US$ 3.357 billion, also a record for the month, and the second largest result since these figures started being registered in 1989.
The main products generating export increases in July were meats, sugar and alcohol, the soy complex (grain, ground, and oil) and wood and wooden products. The shipping of coffee, tea, mate tea, spices, leather and derivatives, ground grain, grain and preparations, cotton, and other vegetable textile fibres.
In July, revenues with the sale of sugar rose almost 112% and the quantity shipped rose 146.37%. Ethyl alcohol export in turn totalled US$ 60.7 million, in comparison to US$ 10.1 million in the same period last year.
Between January and July, agribusiness export generated US$ 22.244 billion, a 37.2% increase with regard to the same period in 2003. The sector was responsible for 42.5% of all Brazilian export up to the moment.
The performance in the first seven months of 2004 was mainly pulled by an increase in export of the soy complex, meats, sugar and alcohol, wood and wooden implements, grain, powder, and preparations.
Import in turn totalled US$ 2.803 billion, showing a growth of 3.2% in relation to the same period last year. The surplus for Brazil in the period was US$ 19.441 billion. Both export revenues and the surplus were records for the period. Agriculture minister Roberto Rodrigues believes that the trade balance result for the sector should exceed US$ 30 billion by the end of the year.
