São Paulo – Brazilian agribusiness exports to the Middle East and Africa declined in September 2013 from September 2012. According to results released by the Ministry of Agriculture this Thursday (9th), Brazil exported US$ 716.6 million worth of products to the Middle East in September 2013, down 25.5% from September 2012.
Saudi Arabia was the leading target among the Arab countries. The country imported US$ 224.8 million, up 12.6% from September 2012. Egypt ranked 14th and imported US$ 187.2 million, down 34.3% from September 2012.
The United Arab Emirates, the 20th leading importer of Brazilian products, imported US$ 126.3 million, down 32.7% from September 2012.
Brazilian exports to the African continent were down 23% in September to US$ 648.7 million.
Overall, China was the leading target of Brazilian agribusiness exports last month, at US$ 2.06 billion, up 71.6% from September 2012.
Figures from the Ministry of Agriculture show that combined exports to all countries and regions stood at US$ 8.9 billion in September this year, up 3.3% from September 2012.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture, soya bean, soya oil and soya bran were the main export category, up 55.3% to US$ 2.73 billion. The second top selling category was meats, at US$ 1.35 billion, up 0.7% from September 2012.
Year-to-date
Year-to-date through September, Brazilian agribusiness exports amounted to US$ 78 billion, up 9.5% from the same period last year.
Year-to-date, exports to the Middle East have increased by 2.6% to US$ 6.02 billion. The region ranks fourth in the list of Brazilian agribusiness importing blocs, following Asia, the European Union and the Nafta (United States, Mexico and Canada). Exports to Africa are on the way down: up until September, Brazil exported US$ 5.5 billion to the continent, down 10.7% from the same period in 2012.
Soya oil, bean and bran are also the top export category year-to-date, at US$ 27.6 billion, up 19.2% from the same period in 2012. Meats exports were up 8.6% to US$ 12 billion.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
