São Paulo – Brazilian exports of capital goods to Arab countries amounted to nearly US$ 160 million from January to April, an increase of 92% over the same period last year, according to data released this Wednesday (28th) by the Brazilian Machinery Manufacturers Association (Abimaq).<\/p>\n
The main market in the region is the United Arab Emirates, which imported the equivalent to US$ 70 million, a growth of 204% in relation to the first four months in 2013.<\/p>\n
Second in the list is Iraq, with imports of US$ 34 million, a growth of 106% in the same comparison; Saudi Arabia, stood at US$ 18.8 million, down 3.8%; Egypt, at US$ 17 million, up 219%; Morocco, at US$ 3.2 million, up 111%; and Sudan, at US$ 2.35 million, up 141%.<\/p>\n
Brazil has exported machines and equipment to 17 out of the 22 Arab countries from January to April.<\/p>\n
Overall, foreign sales of the sector amounted to US$ 4.315 billion in the four-month period, up26.7% over the first four months last year. According to the Abimaq, it is the best result at the historical series for the period.<\/p>\n
The organization has also said that shipments accounted for 45% of the sector’s revenue of the first four-month period, over the historical average of 32%. Main destinations of Brazilian shipments were countries in Latin America, the US and Europe.<\/p>\n
Latin-American countries’ shipments had a decline of 7%, however, business with North-American and European increased 76% and 36.7%, respectively.<\/p>\n
According to the Abimaq, nearly all segments in this industry boosted foreign sales, in special infrastructure and basic industry areas and oil and renewable energy machines, which had a growth in shipments of 94% and 193.3%, respectively.<\/p>\n
In April alone, the sector exported the equivalent to US$ 1,123 billion, up 10.9% in relation to March 2014 and 23.5% when compared to April last year.<\/p>\n
Imports<\/strong><\/p>\n On the other hand, machine and equipment imports amounted to a little more than US$ 10 billion in the first four months of the year, a decrease of almost 5.3% over the same period in 2013. Most segments showed a decline in foreign purchases from January to April, according to the Abimaq, except for oil and renewable energy machines, which increased by 123.4%.<\/p>\n In April alone, the imports stood at US$ 2.47 billion, an increase of 5.6% in relation to March, but a decline of 10.8% when compared to April 2013.<\/p>\n Last month, the United States became once again the main suppliers of Brazil; after leading for two months, China resumed second position, followed by Germany and Italy.<\/p>\n *Translated by Rodrigo Mendonça<\/strong> <\/p>\n