São Paulo – In November, and also year to date, imports by Brazil from the Arab countries have risen. According to figures disclosed by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, in November, the country spent US$ 999.57 million in purchases from the region, growth of 59% over the same month in 2011. The growth was boosted by oil and its products. Exports to the Arabs, in turn, dropped. Brazil had revenues of US$ 1.311 billion with sales to the region last month, 7.76% less than in November 2011. The Development Ministry’s figures were compiled by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
From January to November, Brazil imported the equivalent to US$ 10.4 billion from the Arab countries, 12% more than in the same period last year. In 2012, the country’s surplus with the Middle East and North Africa is US$ 3.1 billion, a drop of 31.65% as against the period from January to November 2011.
In November this year, Brazil imported US$ 785 million in oil and fuels from the Arabs, against US$ 423.2 million in the same month in 2011. The growth was not just in values, but also in volumes imported. In the same comparison, purchases totalled 943,900 tonnes, as against 488,700, almost double. Crude oil was the product most acquired (US$ 434.1 million), followed by aircraft fuel (US$ 210.2 million).
The director of the Brazilian Infrastructure Centre (CBIE), Adriano Pires states that the purchases of oil from the Arab world replaced those of petrol from other origins.
“Brazil was importing much petrol, but then started importing light oil from the Arabs to produce the petrol here, from the crude oil. It is cheaper than buying ready petrol,” said Pires. He said that the consumption of petrol should end 2012 with 12% growth over 2011, much more than forecasted for the economy of Brazil. Pires believes that his tendency for imports of crude oil should remain in coming months.
In the accumulated result for the year, the country imported US$ 8.6 billion in oil and oil products from the Arabs, as against US$ 7.4 billion from January to November 2011.
Apart from oil, up to November, imports of fertilizers also grew. Purchases reached US$ 151 million this year, against US$ 130.5 million imported in the same period in 2011. Among the fertilizers, those that Brazil imported most were ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (US$ 55.6 million) and urea (US$ 55.5 million). Among the main groups of products imported by Brazil, also included are salt, sulphur, earth and stones, plastics and their works and inorganic chemicals, machinery and aluminium.
Exports
Exports did not accompany the growth in imports, dropping, in fact. Apart from the 7.76% drop in November, shipments from Brazil to the Middle East and North Africa fell 2.27% in the accumulated result for the year. From January to November, Brazil exported US$ 13.511 billion. From January to November 2011, shipments reached US$ 13.824 billion.
Sugar was the main product exported by Brazil to the Arab countries, but transfers were lower than in 2011. In November 2012, Brazil exported US$ 409.7 million in sugar to the region. In the same period in 2011, shipments totalled US$ 506.2 million.
Meats were the second group of products most exported to the Arabs, with slight growth. This year, Brazil exported US$ 345.4 million in meats to the region, more than the US$ 321.4 million of November 2011.
Ores are still the third group of Brazilian products most exported to the Arab world, but also dropped. In November, Brazil shipped US$ 148.1 million in iron ore to the region. In the same month in 2011, shipments totalled US$ 286.1 million.
Among the Arab nations, the main destination for Brazilian exports in November was Saudi Arabia, which purchased the equivalent to US$ 224 million. Then came the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Oman and Qatar.
Saudi Arabia also tops the list of main suppliers to Brazil. The country exported US$ 282.4 million to the country and was followed by Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco and Qatar.
*Translated by Mark Ament
