São Paulo – Exports from the state of Paraná grew in April compared with March and surpassed the US$ 1 billion mark for the first time in five months. Sales increased by 31.09% and totalled US$ 1.12 billion, according to information supplied by the Federation of Industries of the State of Paraná (Fiep).
In comparison with April of last year, however, there was a 5.61% reduction. In the first four months this year, compared with the same period of 2008, the rate of decrease was 22.56%. Two types of products, however, recorded growth in foreign sales during the four-month period. Exports of sugar and sweets grew by 65%, and grain sales rose by 4.61%.
In terms of share in the export basket during the four-month period, the soy complex (oil, grain and chaff) comes first, answering to 31.74% of total sales, despite the 6% decrease in sales. Next come meats, with a 14.62% share of exports, and transport material, with 14.95%.
"Out of the four main groups of products exported by the state of Paraná (soy, transport material, meats and wood), which answer to 60% of overall exports, only the soy complex and meats showed signs of recovery. The other two are still going down," says the coordinator of the Economic Department at Fiep, Maurílio Schmitt.
Imports by the state decreased by 10.15% in April over March, having totalled to US$ 602 million. The figure is 4.57% lower than recorded in April 2008. In the first four months of 2009, exports decreased by 28.67% over the same period of 2008. As a result, the balance of trade of the state of Paraná in the first four months of 2009 ran a surplus of US$ 910 million.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum