Rio de Janeiro – With the truckers’ strike, which has entered its eighth day this Monday (28), the Brazilian Foreign Trade Association (AEB) estimates that the country’s export losses have reached at least USD 1 billion. According to AEB’s president, José Augusto de Castro, nearly 70% of exports are of commodities (agricultural or mineral products). Presumably, there hasn’t been a decline in sales due to the strikes, but the arrival dates of the goods have been postponed since they haven’t reached the ports to be shipped.
“I believe that, with commodities, monthly, there will be a 3% loss, which would represent between USD 500 million and USD 600 million,” said AEB’s president, José Augusto de Castro. Regarding finished products, losses should reach around 5%. “You don’t delivery in the scheduled date and have to cancel the operation. You would have there, at least, another USD 500 million in losses,” he added.
Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
