Brasília – In April 2009, after 20 business days, the Brazilian balance of trade ran a surplus (exports minus imports) of US$ 3.712 billion, as a result of US$ 12.322 billion in exports and US$ 8.610 billion in imports. This is the highest surplus achieved since May 2008 (US$ 4.075 billion). The figures were disclosed today (4th) by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.
Four business days into the fifth week of April, the trade surplus totalled to US$ 1.167 bilhão, with US$ 2.828 billion in exports and US$ 1.661 billion in imports.
The result of the balance of trade recorded in April points to a recovery of the surplus. In January, the balance of trade ran a deficit – more imports than exports – of US$ 527 million. In February, the trade surplus was US$ 1.765 billion and in March, US$ 1.772 billion. Thus, in the accumulated result for the year so far, the surplus is US$ 6.722 billion, as against US$ 4.498 billion recorded in the first four months of 2008.
From January until April, exports totalled to US$ 43.499 billion and imports, US$ 36.777 billion. Today at 03:30 pm, the secretary of Foreign Trade at the ministry, Welber Barral, is going to discuss the balance of trade result in a press conference.
*Translated by Gabriel Blum