The Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services (MDIC) today released, in a press conference held in Brasilia, the trade balance data for the month of October. It was the second highest value for exports ever recorded in the historical series, with the country’s foreign sales reaching US $ 22,226 billion, which represents a growth of 12.4% in relation to October 2017 and 0.7% in relation to September 2018, by the daily average. In the period under review, imports totaled US $ 16.105 billion, an increase of 12.4% over the same period of the previous year (US $ 13.6 billion), and a reduction of 1.5% over September 2018, on average . The trade surplus for the month showed a surplus of US $ 6,121 billion, 17.9% higher than in the same period of 2017, US $ 5,193 billion.

Access here the trade balance data

According to Herlon Brandão, director of Statistics and Export Support at the Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex) of the MDIC, one of the main highlights was soy exports, which surprised. “We ship more than 5 million tons of soybeans in October, which is not common for the month, and throughout the year were 74 million tons, a record even in the case of closed years. the outside has China as a destination. The country has demanded a lot of Brazilian soy, “he said.

Year-to-date exports totaled US $ 199.171 billion. Over 2017, there was a growth of 8%, by the daily average. Imports, from January to October, totaled US $ 151.450 billion, an increase of 20.6%, also on average, over the same period of 2017 (US $ 125.009 billion). The accumulated surplus is US $ 47.721 billion.

Exports

In the month, exports by aggregate factor reached the following values: basic (US $ 11.172 billion), manufactured (US $ 7.737 billion) and semimanufactured (US $ 3,191 billion). Over the previous year, exports of basic products (26%), manufactured (5.5%) and semimanufactured (3%) increased.

Compared with October 2017, in the basic group, sales increased mainly from crude oil (126.8%), soybeans (114.2%) and raw cotton (1.1%).

In the manufacturing group, sales of gasoline (from US $ 4 million to US $ 135 million), fuel oils (732.7%), engine parts and aircraft turbines increased in comparison to the same month of the previous year. (78.1%), aluminum oxides and hydroxides (32.4%), iron and steel flexible tubes (79.9%), ethanol non-frozen orange (23.4%), plastic polymers (2.5%) and engines for vehicles and parts (2.4%).

Among the semimanufactured products, sales were mainly made up of semimanufactured iron and steel (75.8%), iron alloys (11.4%), cellulose (9.7%) and lumber (9%).

Accumulated of the year

In the accumulated period from January to October, basic products (13.6%) and manufactured goods (6.7%) increased compared to the same period of 2017, while semimanufactured goods (-2.9%) decreased.

In relation to basic exports, crude oil (42%), soybean meal (28.7%), soybeans (23.1%), beef (9.9%) and copper ore (9.9%).

In the group of manufactured goods, there was growth mainly in oil extraction platform (350.9%), engine and turbine parts for aircraft (113.6%), fuel oils (102.2%), motors for vehicles and parts 22.1%), earthmoving machinery (19.1%) and non-frozen orange juice (10.2%).

Among the semimanufactured products, the largest falls occurred in sales of raw sugar (-39.2%), hides and skins (-24.5%), semi-manufactured gold (-7.2%) and cast iron (-4 , 7%). On the other hand, sales of pulp (33.1%), copper cathodes (23.9%) and semimanufactured iron and steel increased (22.7%).

Sales grew to the main destinations: Central America and the Caribbean (41.8%), Oceania (21%), the European Union (15.7%), Asia (13.6%) and the United States (6%). ,2%). The main destination countries of exports, in the accumulated of the year were China (US $ 55.5 billion); United States (US $ 23.7 billion); Argentina (US $ 13.3 billion); The Netherlands (US $ 10 billion) and Chile (US $ 5.2 billion).

Imports

In October, imports of fuels and lubricants (24.2%), intermediate goods (11.2%), capital goods (11.1%) and consumer goods (7.8%) grew.

In the fuels and lubricants group, growth was mainly driven by increased purchases of crude oil, diesel, coal, natural gas and aviation kerosene.

In the intermediate goods segment, purchases of potash, petrochemical naphtha, parts of telephony apparatus, urea, gearboxes, parts of broadcasting apparatus, iron and steel hoses, wheats and mixtures of wheat, copper and microprocessors.

Source: MDIC