São Paulo – The six days during which European airports remained closed because of the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull did not cause problems only to tourists and businessmen on trips. Brazilian exporters were also harmed by the cancelling of international flights.
Even though air trade between Brazil and Europe only accounts for 6% of overall transactions, representatives of specific sectors of the Brazilian economy claimed to have incurred losses during the restriction of aircraft departures and arrivals.
According to the vice president of the Brazilian Foreign Trade Association (AEB), José Augusto de Castro, fruit and flower exporters are among those who incurred the most losses. That is because the products that they ship to Europe are highly perishable. “The moment exports become paralyzed, I automatically lose my product,” he said.
Euroconte, which exports fruit by aircraft only, for instance, claims to have lost approximately 50,000 euros in profits during the days in which airports remained closed. The figure does not take into account the loss of fruit that were not sold.
To Castro, however, the immediate losses are not the most significant. In the case of the fruit and flowers sector, he claims that an interruption such as the one seen this week may cost many people their jobs. “These sectors employ lots of people. In case of losses, many will be affected,” he said.
The Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade informed that data concerning losses in exports due to paralyzed airports will only be known upon disclosure of the trade balance for the month of April, due May 3rd. The ministry warned, however, that the sectors pointed out as the most harmed by the closing of airports are not among those that export the most, by aircraft, to Europe. These sectors are: metals and precious stones, machinery and equipment, electric and electronic items, and shoes.
The Brazilian Airport Infrastructure Company (Infraero) informed today (23rd) that the situation of flights to Europe, at the Guarulhos International Airport, in São Paulo, is now regular. At the terminal, the main gate for international passenger and cargo entry and exit of in Brazil, no flights to Europe have been cancelled today.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
