São Paulo – The second week of February had a foreign trade surplus of US$ 1.155 billion, according to figures disclosed Trade on Monday (13) by the Ministry of Industry, Development and Foreign. Sales in the week from February 6th to 12th were 17.2% greater than those in the first week of February.
All product categories exported more and totalled US$ 5.087 billion. The growth among basic products was 37.5%, thanks to the greater shipments of oil, iron ore, coffee in grain, soy chaff, tobacco leaves and beef. The growth in manufactured products was just 7%, boosted by sales of oil platforms, fuels, orange juice and aircraft. Partly manufactured product sales rose 19.9%, with special attention to exports of iron, steel, pulp and zinc.
Imports, of US$ 3.932 billion in the second week of February, in turn, dropped 2% due to the lower purchases of fuels and lubricants, mechanical equipment, plastics, optic and precision instruments and pharmaceuticals.
Up to February 12th this year, the country had exported US$ 7.691 billion and imported US$ 6.469 billion, resulting in a surplus. According to the Ministry, in the accumulated result for the year, Brazil exported US$ 23.832 billion (3.7% more than in 2011) and imported US$ 23.773 billion (an increase of 10.1% over the same period last year). The surplus in the period is US$ 59 million.
*Translated by Mark Ament
