São Paulo – Brazilian exports to the Arab countries, from January to July, grew 1.1% when compared to the same period last year and generated US$ 5.18 billion, according to figures supplied by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade and compiled by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce. In the same comparison, total exports from Brazil dropped 24%.
The greater Brazilian sales of sugar (+49.38%), aircraft (+62.7%) and soy (+186.96%) to the Arab market made up for the losses in exports of meats (-7.75%), the main product shipped to the region, and iron ore (-29.33%), the third main item in the basket.
"It is also worth recalling some other items in the basket that showed great growth, like animal feed, starch, soy chaff, fish flour, live animals, cardboard, engines and electric generators and electro-mechanic equipment," said the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Michel Alaby. According to him, it is important for Brazil to go on working for the promotion of its products on the Arab market for there not to be a continuous reduction in exports.
The main destinations for Brazilian exports in the first seven months of the year were Saudi Arabia, with sales of US$ 1.13 billion, Egypt, with US$ 864.76 million, the United Arab Emirates, with US$ 853 million, Algeria, with US$ 405.46 million and Morocco, US$ 329.93 million.
The traditional markets that presented greatest growth in imports in the period were the Emirates (18.21%), Algeria (31.86%), Egypt (24.44%), Morocco (24.82%), Lebanon (39.39%) and Iraq (85.67%). The less traditional markets that presented greatest growth were Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan and Yemen.
Despite the Brazilian sales to the Arab market having remained practically stable in the first seven months of the year, in the month of July, exports to the League of Arab States presented a reduction of 11.37% when compared to the same month last year. Brazilian shipments totalled US$ 883.65 million, as against US$ 997 million in July 2008.
One of the main products shipped to the Arab market, iron ore, had a 52.88% reduction in July. Other items in the basket that presented reductions were meats and machinery and mechanical equipment.
The main markets in the month of July were Saudi Arabia, with imports of US$ 177.5 million, the United Arab Emirates, with US$ 148.3 million, Egypt, US$ 130 million and Algeria, US$ 83.89 million. The countries that presented greatest growth in the month were Algeria, Emirates, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and Djibouti.
Imports
In the month of July, Brazilian imports of products from the Arab countries totalled US$ 708 million, a reduction of 32% over the same month last year. However, when compared to July this year, imports grew 59.46%.
From January to July, purchases by Brazil from the Arab market presented an even greater reduction, 56.48%, when compared to the same period in 2008. Imports totalled US$ 2.75 billion. The main suppliers of mineral fuels, fertilizers, chemical products and sulphur were Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Libya, Iraq and Morocco.
*Translated by Mark Ament
