Trade balance has record high in April
Valor Econômico - 05/09/2008
The increase in international prices of agricultural commodities made the agribusiness trade balance have a record positive balance of US$ 4.967 billion in April. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, it is a record value compared to the same month of previous years. In April, the agribusiness exportation amounted to US$ 5.755 billion, a 21.6% increase in the same period of 2007. Last month the imports increased 25.9% compared to April, 2007, and amounted to US$ 784 million. According to the ministry, the sectors that contributed for the increase of the revenues the most were soybean (54.4%), meat (21.9%), coffee (29.8%) and cereals, flours and preparations (60.6%). Soybean exportation increased 54.4%, to US$ 1.859 billion. The income from grain soybean increased 65.4%, to US$ 1.397 billion, supported by the 56.5% increase of the prices in the international market; the volumes, however, increased only 5.7%. The increase of prices has also increased the income from the shipping of meats. In April, the external sales amounted to US$ 1.1 billion, a 21.9% increase compared to the same month of 2007. The income from bovine meat went 15.3% up due to a 36.2% increase of prices in exportation. Income from chicken, on its turn, grew 21% because of the 25% increase in prices. The pork meat's index went 5.9% up, with the increase of 36.2% in prices. The products the country imported the most in April were natural rubber and wheat flour. The value of the flour purchases went 131% up. Yesterday, Camex (Chamber of Foreign Trade) authorized the importation of more than one million tons of wheat from outside the Mercosur, with tax exemption, so as to prevent shortage of the product in Brazil. The entity has passed a resolution creating two extra quotas of 500 thousand tons of wheat until June 30, according to Agência Brasil.