São Paulo – The Brazilian trade balance ended 2016 with a USD 47.7 billion surplus, its largest ever recorded. According to data made public by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC) this Monday (2), exports reached USD 185.2 billion in the year, while imports stood at USD 137.5 billion.
In December, the trade surplus was USD 4.4 billion, with USD 15.9 billion in exports and USD 11.5 billion in imports.
Shipments fell 3.5% in comparison to 2015. According to the MDIC, there was a decline of 9.5% in foreign sales of basic goods, while semi-finished and finished products dropped 5.2% and 1.2%, respectively.
What drove down the basic goods was the decline of 26.3% in exports of maize grains, of 14.8% of crude oil, of 13.2% of coffee beans, of 11.1% of soy bran, of 8.2% of soy beans and of 7.2% of beef, among others. With the semi-finished products, the highlights were the increase of 29.8% in the shipments of raw sugar, of 31.1% of semi-finished gold and of 17.4% of sawn timber.
In the group of finished products, there was an increase of 86.9% in foreign sales of oil rigs, of 28.3% of passenger vehicles and of 27.1% of cargo vehicles, among other products.
Last year’s imports results declined 20.1% in comparison to 2015, and were driven down by the decline of 43.1% in purchases of fuel and lubricants, of 21.5% of capital goods, of 19.3% of consumer goods, and of 14.9% in purchases of intermediate goods.
Regions
China was Brazil’s main trade partner last year, with USD 37.4 billion in exports and USD 23.8 billion in imports. The United States, with USD 23.2 billion in exports and USD 23.8 billion in imports, came in second.
Shipments to the Middle East went up 1.5% in 2016, totaling USD 10.1 billion. The MDIC highlighted the increase in shipments of sugar, soy beans, passenger vehicles, cast iron tubes, chassis fitted with engines, beef and copper sheets and strips to the region, which accounted for 5.5% of Brazilian exports in the year – in 2015, this number stood at 5.2%.
Imports from this economic bloc declined 33.1%, totaling USD 3.6 billion, or 2.6% of Brazilian foreign purchases – in 2015, it accounted for 3.1% of the country’s purchases.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
