Brasília – The Brazilian balance of trade showed a US$ 2.019 billion surplus in March, according to figures disclosed this Monday (2nd) by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. The surplus resulted from US$ 20.911 billion in exports and US$ 18.892 billion in imports.
The daily average surplus was US$ 950.5 million, 3.5% higher than in March 2011. Daily average imports stood at US$ 858.7 million, 1.7% more than in March of last year. The figures are all-time highs for the month. During the quarter, exports reached US$ 55.1 billion and imports reached US$ 52.6 billion, resulting in a US$ 2.5 billion surplus.
The increase in exports was mostly driven by higher sales of basic goods (+10.4%). The main contributing items were oil and soybean. There was also a slight increase in sales of manufactured goods (+0.3%). On the other hand, sales of semi-manufactured goods dropped by 15.5%, as a result of lower exports of raw sugar.
As for imports, there was an increase in purchases of fuels and lubricants (+5%) and of raw materials and intermediate goods (+1%). In terms of consumer goods, imports of beverages and tobacco, pharmaceutical products, clothing, foodstuffs and automobiles have increased.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
