Brasília – Friday (6th) in the city of Vitória, capital of the state of Espírito Santo, the Primeira Exportação (First Export) program was launched, aiming to broaden the Brazilian exporting base, counting on the participation of micro, small and medium companies. The intention is to provide a systematic follow-up when the companies start doing business abroad. The program was launched as of the signing of a cooperation agreement between the State Secretariat for Development and the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.
The program provides for technical training to be given to the agents who will provide advisory to First Export companies. This phase will be undertaken by a managing committee, comprising local and national organizations. A computer program will aid in the follow up of operations. Initially, the objective is to train 180 private sector organizations.
Data supplied by the ministry point to an increase in exports from the state of Espírito Santo, which have gone from US$ 2.82 billion in the first half of 2009 to US$ 4.81 billion in the same period this year. The state’s economy has gone from eighth to sixth in the ranking of Brazilian exporting states.
According to the ministry, the main items shipped during the period were cluster iron ore and its concentrates (US$ 2.210 billion), other semi-manufactured iron and steel products (US$ 515 million), chemical wood pulp (US$ 480 million), crude petroleum oils (US$ 448 million) and granites (US$ 271 million).
Counting Espírito Santo, the program already includes seven states: Goiás, Rio Grande do Norte, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco and Bahia. On Monday (9th), the foreign trade secretary of the ministry, Welber Barral, will launch the program in the cities of Curitiba (in the state of Paraná) an Joinville (Santa Catarina).
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
