Agribusiness exports were US$ 9.80 billion in May this year, a decrease of 1.7% compared to the month of 2018. The reduction in exports occurred mainly due to the decrease in the price index of Brazilian agribusiness export products, of 9.1%. According to the Secretariat of Commerce and International Relations (SCRI) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), the quantum index (volume) contributed to avoiding a greater drop in exported value, registering an increase of 8.1%.
The participation of agribusiness in the Brazilian trade balance in May fell from 51.6% to 46.1%, due to the drop in agribusiness exports by 1.7% and the increase in exports from other sectors by 22.5%.
Imports of agribusiness products, in turn, rose from US$ 1.08 billion in May 2018 to US$ 1.18 billion in May 2019. The Agribusiness trade balance balance was US$ 8.6 billion.
The agricultural products that had a record quantity sold abroad for the month of May, since the historical series of 1997, were fresh beef and pork, cellulose and green coffee. Foreign sales of fresh beef reached 123 thousand tons, with emphasis on three markets: the United Arab Emirates (+7.8 thousand tons), Russia (+7.1 thousand tons) and China (+6.2 thousand tons).
As for pork, cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) are already having an impact on Brazilian exports, according to SCRI/Mapa. Some markets received evidence regarding the increase in the quantity exported in May: China (+7.2 thousand tons), Russia (+3.1 thousand tons), Chile (+2.1 thousand tons) and Vietnam (+1.8 thousand tons).
The main product exported by the forest products sector was cellulose, with a record export quantity of 1.58 million tons in May. The value of US$ 859.18 million in cellulose (+18.0%) was also a record. Practically half of Brazilian cellulose exports were acquired by China, which purchased US$ 413.52 million of the product (+52.3%) or 784.5 thousand tons.
Brazil exported US$ 438.3 million in the coffee sector (+71.7%), with a strong expansion in the quantity exported of 205 thousand tons of the grain (125%), although international prices of products in the sector fell, on average, 23 .7%. Green coffee had an increase of 130% in the quantity shipped, a record for every month of May since 1997, totaling 196 thousand tons.
Post: Marina Carvejani
Author: DATA
Source: DATA
