São Paulo – Brazilian exports to the Arab nations grew 58% in July when compared to the same month last year. Sales totalled US$ 997 million. Imports of Arab products, in turn, grew 78.7%, totalling US$ 1.04 billion. This information was supplied by the Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex).
The greater exports in July contributed for Brazilian sales to the Arab countries from January to June to reach a record figure, US$ 5.13 billion, representing growth of 32.7% over the seven first months of last year. "The meat complex, especially chicken, and iron ore posted excellent performance, boosting exports to a record figure," stated Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce president Antonio Sarkis Jr.
From January to July this year, exports to the Arabs of the meat complex totalled US$ 1.66 billion, an increase of 50% over the same period last year. Sales of chicken, for example, rose from US$ 651.9 million to US$ 1.14 billion. Exports of iron ore, in turn, grew 134.9%, rising from US$ 332.8 million to US$ 781.9 million. Sarkis mentioned the case of mining company Vale do Rio Doce, which recently disclosed that the Arabs have become an important market for the company. In July alone, sales of company products to the countries of the region totalled US$ 43.6 million, against US$ 3.48 million in the same month in 2007.
In the period, Brazil also significantly expanded sales of steel and iron to the Arab nations. The growth was 122.9%, and sales reached US$ 285 million. Sales of grain grew 576%, reaching US$ 82 million, those of aluminium, 45.5%, totalling US$ 80 million, milk and dairy product sales grew 130.5%, totalling US$ 76.1 million, and fats, oils and animal greases grew 80%, to US$ 75.6 million.
The Arab countries that purchased most from Brazil were Saudi Arabia, with exports of US$ 1.36 billion (69.1% growth), the United Arab Emirates, US$ 721.6 million (up 17.6%), Egypt, with US$ 694.9 million (a 4.2% reduction), Kuwait, with US$ 315.6 million (expansion of 155.5%) and Algeria, US$ 307.5 million (growth of 17.3%).
According to Sarkis, global trade (exports plus imports) also deserves special attention in the first seven months of the year. "Bilateral trade, which reached US$ 11.4 billion, is already a record," he said. Brazilian exports to the Arab countries posted growth of 95.9% over January and July 2007. Foreign purchases from the Arab market totalled US$ 6.33 billion. This result brought bilateral trade growth of 61.4% over the seven months of last year.
The main Arab exporters to Brazil were Saudi Arabia, with sales of US$ 1.8 billion (up 80.2%), Algeria, US$ 1.6 billion (expansion of 56.9%), Libya, with US$ 870.6 million (growth of 58%) and Morocco, with US$ 758.2 million (having risen 191.3%). The main Brazilian purchases from the Arab market were mineral fuels, oils and mineral waxes, fertilizers and chemical products.
*Translated by Mark Ament
