São Paulo – Brazilian exports generated US$ 3.539 billion in the first week of 2012, or US$ 707.8 million in the average per working day, reduction of 2.3% over January 2011. The figures were disclosed on Monday (9) by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. In comparison with December, there was 29.6% reduction on average.
Imports totalled US$ 3.644 billion, with a business day average of US$ 728.8 million, growth of 3.3% over last year. As against December, however, there was reduction of 12.4%. This resulted in a trade deficit of US$ 105 billion for the country last week.
In comparison with January 2011, according to the Ministry, there was 17.5% reduction in exports of intermediate products, mainly semi-manufactured iron and steel, soy oil in bulk, leather and sugar in bulk. Sales of basic products dropped 4.9%, mainly those of maize in grain, crude oil, iron ore and coffee in grain.
The only group that grew was that of manufactured products. Shipments grew 1.4%, with special highlight to aircraft, automobiles, fuel oil, cargo vehicles, aluminium oxides and hydroxides, machinery and equipment for land levelling and plastic polymers.
With regard to December, exports of basic products dropped 36.4%, those of manufactured products, 24.7%, and those of semi-manufactured products, 24.3%.
In imports, as against January last year, there was growth in purchases of aircraft parts (57.8%), fertilizers (41%), vehicles and auto parts (31.8%), pharmaceuticals (21.3%), plastics (12%) and electric and electronic equipment (11.3%).
Regarding December, foreign purchases of fuel and lubricant dropped 40.4%, those of pharmaceutical products, 19.9%, precision optics, 13.6%, mechanical equipment, 13.1%, chemical products, 10.3%, and fertilizers, 10.1%.
*Translated by Mark Ament
