Food manufacturers invest US$ 6.3 billion
Gazeta Mercantil - 01/27/2009
The industries of foods and beverages invested R$ 14.6 billion (US$ 6.3 billion) last year, according to data of the Conjuncture Survey of the Brazilian Association of Food Industries (Abia), provided exclusively to Gazeta Mercantil. The result is slightly smaller than the investments registered in 2007, when they amounted to R$ 15.5 billion (US$ 8 billion). Among the sectors that most invested throughout last year, the beverage sector stood out. It invested R$ 3.3 billion (US$ 1.8 billion) in 2008, compared to the R$ 1.3 billion (US$ 673 million) of 2007. According to Edmundo Klotz, President of the Abia, the producers of beverages and beers were the one that made the most investments last year. In addition to that, the producers of juice also invested more, going from R$ 43 million to R$ 603 million (US$ 22.3/229.5 million). For 2009, Klotz affirmed it is a time for caution. "The first quarter will give the industries of the sector an idea of how the year will be. The producers will analyze the performance of the quarter and define the investments later", he said.