June exports set a new record as foreign trade surges

Brazil’s exports during the first half of this year are up 31.6%, compared to the same period in 2010, powered by strong performances in May and June. In June exports reached a historical high for the month of $23.692 billion, up 38.6%, compared to June 2010. With imports in June at $19.262 billion, up 29.9%, compared to June 2010, the June trade surplus was $4.43 billion, the highest monthly total for the year. The June trade surplus was up a significant 95.4%, compared to the surplus in June 2010.

Brazil’s foreign trade surplus for the year up to June is now $12.985 billion, up 64.7%, compared to the same period last year.

According to Tatiana Lacerda Prazeres at the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, the “good moment,” is due to a record surge in exports of three product categories: raw material or commodities (“produtos básicos”) – iron ore, coffee beans, crude petroleum, soybeans and meats, which rose 44%; semi-manufactured products: gold and iron items, soy products, sugar, leather and animal skins, which rose 29.7%; and manufactured products: fuel oil, plastics and vehicles, which rose 19.1%.

Ms Prazeres points out that during the 124 working days between January and the end of June, Brazilian exports to all regions were up with the highlight being Asia where there was an increase of 37.9%, compared to the same period in 2010, with exports going from $24.386 billion (2010), to $33.909 billion (2011).

China’s paid $20 billion for Brazilian imports between January and June this year, an increase of 47.6%, compared to the same period last year. And in the first half of this year, China imported 16.9% of all Brazilian exports, compared to 15.1% during the same period in 2010. China is now Brazil’s biggest trade partner.

Brazilian exports to Latin America and the Caribbean were up 24%, to over $26.5 billion; up 31.4% to over $25.5 billion to the European Union in the first half of this year.

The United States was the second biggest importer of Brazilian goods in the first half of 2011, with $11.753 billion, up 29.4%, followed by Argentina with $10.439, up 32.6%.