São Paulo – Exports of Minas Gerais grew for the first time after the beginning of the international financial crisis in the last quarter of last year. The state increased its foreign sales by 17% in March when compared to February.
Minas had revenues of US$ 1.56 billion with exports in March. There was also growth over the same month last year, 9.2%, according to figures disclosed by the Central Exportaminas, an organisation connected to the government of Minas Gerais that is responsible for the fostering of foreign sales.
In the first half of the year, the export volume reached US$ 4.3 billion. In this case, however, the value was 5.4% lower than in the previous year. The value accumulated in the last twelve months, of US$ 24 billion, is greater than in the previous 12 months.
Participation of exports of Minas Gerais in the accumulated result for the months from January to March was 13.85%. It was above the level of 11% registered in the same period in the previous year and was the second main contribution between the states to the global performance of the Brazilian trade balance, only exceeded by the states of São Paulo, which registered 28.83%.
According to the director of the Central Exportaminas, Jorge Duarte Oliveira, the return to growth of exports has resulted in growth of 23.7% of the trade balance over March 2008, totalling a surplus of US$ 1.09 billion.
*Translated by Mark Ament
