São Paulo – Exports by agribusiness declined 0.6% in May of this year, in comparison to the same period of last year, and totaled USD 8.59 billion, according to survey released this Friday (10) by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply. Year-to-date, however, shipments abroad increased. Between January and May, exports totaled USD 36.67 billion, an increase of 7.4% over the first five months of 2015.
Last month, there was a decline in exports destined to the main buying blocs, among them the Middle East, and to Arab countries who are listed as the main importers of Brazilian products. According to data from the ministry, last month sales to the Middle East dropped 15.5% in comparison to May of 2015 and totaled USD 523.8 million.
Among the region’s countries, sales to Saudi Arabia, the sixth biggest importer of agribusiness products from Brazil last month, totaled USD 199.9 million, a decline of 4.3% in the comparison with the previous year. Egypt was the 20th biggest buyer with imports of USD 91.9 million, a decline of 35.5% in comparison to the same period of 2015.
Year-to-date, agribusiness has increasing sales, which is reflected also in shipments to Arabs. The Middle East imported USD 2.9 billion, or 9.3% more than January to May 2015. In this year-to-year comparison, Saudi Arabia expanded in 3.5% its purchases to USD 910.4 million. Egypt’s purchases totaled USD 638.5 million, a 14.9% increase. In 2016, Saudi Arabia is listed as Brazil’s 8th biggest buyer, with Egypt at the 14th position.
The main products exported by the agribusiness between January and May were soybean complex, meats, forest products, sugar-alcohol complex and cereals. Together, they account for 79.6% of the total. In contrast, imports by agribusiness totaled USD 5 billion between January and May, a decline of 16.6% over the same period of last year.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani