São Paulo – Exports from Brazil to the Arab countries generated US$ 1.211 billion in March, growth of 5.82% over the same period in 2011, according to figures disclosed by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. This was the greatest monthly performance to date, 25% over the total for February and 12% over the value for January.
Shipments to the region in the accumulated result for the first quarter totalled US$ 3.264 billion, growth of 3.24% over the first three months of 2011.
In March, among the main items in the basket, there was growth in sales of sugar, chicken, iron ore, beef, chemical products, tobacco, coffee and machinery for works. Exports of wheat, maize, soy and soy oil dropped.
In the quarter, shipments of sugar, beef, iron ore, chemical products, machinery for works, tobacco and soy rose. Those of grain, vegetable oils and coffee, in turn, dropped.
“In the case of ores and machinery for construction works, the reason [for growth of exports] is economic and industrial development of the region,” said the CEO at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby.
In the area of food, Alaby pointed out that the growth of exports is constant and that Brazil is “unbeatable” in production and sales of these products.
Imports
On the other lane, Brazilian imports of products from the Arab world totalled US$ 796 million in March, growth of 40% over the same month last year. In the quarter, foreign purchases exceeded US$ 2 billion, growth of 18% over the first three months of 2011.
In the month and over the year, there has been expansion in the import of oil and oil products, fertilizers, aluminium, rubber, glass and electric material. In March alone, there was growth in the purchase of fishery products.
Alaby pointed out that the growth in imports is due to the Brazilian economic growth and to the higher demand for products like oil, fuels and fertilizers.
With this result, Brazil registered a trade balance surplus of US$ 425 million with the Arabs in March and US$ 1.257 billion in the quarter.
*Translated by Mark Ament
