São Paulo – Brazil increased its aviation kerosene exports in May this year. According to figures supplied by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, imports reached US$ 147.7 million, an increase of 69% over the same month of last year. The volume reached 136,300 tonnes, an increase of 13%.
According to the director of the Brazilian Infrastructure Centre (CBIE, in the Portuguese acronym), Adriano Pires, the import hike is driven by greater domestic consumption. “We are flying more,” he claims. According to the oil market specialist, this is a reflection of increased credit in Brazil, which influences both the purchase of air tickets and other items, such as automobiles and home appliances.
In May this year, the Emirates were the second leading supplier of aviation kerosene to Brazil, according to figures supplied by the Ministry. The top supplier was the Korean Republic, at US$ 105 million and 97,000 tonnes. The Emirates shipped 38,800 tonnes, generating revenues of US$ 42.5 million. In the same month of 2010, the Arab country did not supply the fuel to Brazil. Only those two countries supplied the product to Brazil in the month of May.
The increase in imported value was also caused by the higher price of oil and its derivatives, on the international market, because the growth in volume was lower than that of revenues.
Despite the imports, Brazil also produces aviation kerosene, and the Brazilian oil company Petrobras is even working to increase its domestic production, as well as that of oil derivatives as a whole. In the first quarter, the company increased its aviation kerosene output by 13%.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
