Sales of machines start 2008 at a rise
Gazeta Mercantil - 03/05/2008
Even with the Real up-valued in relation to the Dollar, with the levying on the production and with the direct competition with China, the Brazilian industry of capital goods increased 38.8% its sales in January of this year, compared to the same period of 2007, reaching R$ 5.16 billion (US$ 2.93 billion). The apparent consumption, which deducts the exports and includes the imports, advanced even more, 46% compared to January, 2007, which means a volume of R$ 6.72 billion (US$ 3.82 billion). According to Júlio Sergio Gomes de Almeida, consultant of the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (Iedi) and former secretary of economic policy of the Ministry of Finance, bearing in mind the importation data from February, the apparent consumption may continue high. In the two-month period, the growth of the importation of capital goods was 57.4%. In 2007, according to the data from the Brazilian Machinery Manufacturers Association (Abimaq), the participation of the national machines in the internal consumption fell from 60% to 58%. As a whole, the importations during last year amounted to US$ 15.4 billion, a growth of 39.9% over 2006. The exports, on the other hand, increased 21.3%, ending the year in US$ 10.6 billion. The United States continue being the greatest buyer of Brazilian machines. Abimaq informs it is focusing its efforts on the foreign sales for Latin America and China, which imports US$ 20 billion and US$ 26 billion a year, respectively. The forecast for the sales' growth for this year is similar to 2007's, 12.6%. In the period, the sector sold R$ 61.6 billion (US$ 35 billion).