São Paulo – Brazilian natural stone exports reached a record USD 1.35 billion through November this year, up 18.7% from the same period last year. According to data released Thursday (11) by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas), the sector has even surpassed the impact of U.S. tariffs.
Despite tariffs of up to 50% on the sector’s products, the United States remained the top destination of Brazilian natural stones, receiving US$ 735.4 million through November, up 15.7% compared to 2024. China and Italy were also key destinations of raw stone blocks used for local processing.
Centrorochas also reported that the sector has made “strategic advances” in its internationalization project, with the Middle East as a key focus. The association cites infrastructure investments and high-end architectural projects as driving this expansion.
The association notes that growing demand from Middle Eastern countries and a new shipping route between Brazil and the United Arab Emirates are boosting competitiveness in the market. Transit time has dropped from about 90 to 30 days.
For this reason, a study is underway to establish a hub in the region for distributing Brazilian stones. Earlier this year, Centrorochas signed a memorandum of understanding with the Port of Abu Dhabi, aiming for the hub to reach multiple Middle Eastern countries.
In the statement, Centrorochas president Tales Machado said this year’s record is “an achievement” for the entire production chain. “In a year marked by challenges, especially in the U.S., we worked intensely to mitigate the effects of the tariffs, advanced in consolidating new markets, and expanded our presence in the Middle East, a region where Brazil still has limited direct representation, as much of the material arrives via geographically closer countries,” he said.
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
