São Paulo – Brazilian imports of fertilizers grew 45% from January to August this year as against the same period in 2010, according to information disclosed by the National Association for the Promotion of Fertilizers and Lime (Anda). The volume imported reached 12.8 million tonnes, boosted mainly by demand in the cotton, wheat, sugarcane and coffee crops. "Currently, the demand has risen and there was need to replace stocks,” said the executive director at Anda, David Roquetti Filho.
According to him, the prices of these cultures are extremely comfortable for farmers. "Apart from the fertilizer that has already been consumed in the mentioned crops, farmers are capitalised and expect, due to good prices forecasted for their crops, that there will be positive results,” he explained. According to him, this demand is supplied by imports as Brazil only produces 35% of the fertilizer it consumes. "Whenever consumption rises, it is necessary to seek the international market,” he said.
Brazil’s main nitrogenated fertilizer suppliers are Russia, Arab nations and China, occasionally. Among the main phosphate suppliers are Morocco, the United States and Russia, and the main suppliers of potassium chloride are Canada, Russia, Germany and Israel, according to Roquetti. To the executive director, there have been no significant changes in suppliers in recent months.
According to the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, complied by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, the Arab countries exported the equivalent to US$ 677.6 million in fertilizer to Brazil from January to August this year, with growth of 93% over the same period last year, when the value was US$ 351 million. The products had participation of 10.54% in the region’s total revenues with exports to Brazil.
In August alone, Brazilian imports of fertilizers totalled 1.8 million tonnes, according to information disclosed by the Anda. The growth, as against the same month last year, was 11%, as in 2010 purchases totalled 1.6 million tonnes. In 2009, in the month of August, purchases totalled 1.7 million tonnes, and in 2008, 1.6 million. In the accumulated result from January to August 2010, the volume was 8.8 million tonnes, 6.2 million in 2009 and 12.9 million in 2008.
*Translated by Mark Ament
