São Paulo – Brazilian pulp and paper exports grew by 6.2% in 2011 compared with 2010 and reached US$ 7.2 billion, according to figures disclosed by the Brazilian Pulp and Paper Association (Bracelpa, in the Portuguese acronym). Pulp sales reached US$ 5 billion, a 5% increase over the preceding year, and paper exports reached US$ 2.1 billion, a 9% increase.
Pulp exports to Africa, a region which comprises some Arab countries, dropped by 50% during the year and reached US$ 1 million, and exports to Asia, which also includes Arab nations, dropped by 14.2% and reached US$ 442 million. Paper exports to Africa reached US$ 110 million, a 12.2% increase, and paper exports to Asia reached US$ 150 million, a 17.2% increase.
The two regions, however, were not the leading targets of Brazilian pulp and paper abroad. The main market for Brazilian pulp was Europe, at US$ 2.2 billion and a 1.9% increase, and the leading target for paper was Latin America, at US$ 1.2 billion and a 10.4% increase.
Brazilian production remained virtually stable compared with 2010, according to Bracelpa figures. Last year, the country produced 14 million tonnes of pulp, representing a slight 1.2% decline, and 9.9 million tonnes of paper, with a 0.4% increase. Domestic sales of pulp dropped by 1.5% and reached 1.5 million tonnes, whereas paper sales dropped by 0.3%, down to 5.3 million tonnes.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
