The Ports of Paraná registered a 71.4% increase in the positive balance, in which exports outstripped imports. Between January and April 2019, the value of products coming out of Brazil, via Paranaguá and Antonina, exceeded the cost of products of foreign origin that arrived in the country by more than US $ 1.5 billion.
In the first four months of the year, the Ports of Paraná moved 15.7 million tons, 9.7 million in exports and 6 million in imports. In April alone, 4.2 million tons were moved. Exports totaled 2.8 million tonnes, compared to 1.3 million tonnes imported.
Data from the Ministry of Economy, Industry, Foreign Trade and Services indicate that, in Paraná, the revenue generated from exports, alone, increased by 4.2%. In 2019, it was almost US $ 5.2 billion in exported value, against US $ 4.9 billion, in the same period in 2018.
VOLUMES – Corn exports from the port of Paranaguá increased by 32% in the first four months of 2019. From January to April, 892,419 tons were shipped, with the main destination being Iran. In the same period, in 2018, 677,554 tons exported. Considering only the month, the increase was even greater. In April, last year, no volume was exported by the Port of Paranaguá. This last month, in 2019, there were almost 301 thousand tons of corn exported.
According to the Department of Rural Economy (Deral), the State Department of Agriculture and Supply, last year, corn production in Paraná suffered a fall in the drought, which led to a reduction in the availability of the product for export.
“This increase is explained more effectively by the grain export agenda. As soybeans harvested earlier this year, soybean exports were also anticipated, opening the window to begin to run the corn, “says Edmar Gervásio, Deral specialist.
According to him, the corn from Paraná is destined for export mainly the second harvest (safrinha), whose harvest begins to intensify from the end of this month. “Exports tend to increase more from July,” he adds. The corn moved by Paranaguá originates in the states of Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Goiás, Santa Catarina and São Paulo.
GENERAL CARGO – Of the almost 15.8 million tons handled in the first four months of this year, almost 3.5 million are General Cargo. The segment recorded an increase of 8% in relation to the accumulated from January to April 2018. The volume is higher, mainly exports.
In this segment, the busiest cargoes by the Port of Paranaguá are the loose cargoes like sugar, cellulose and vehicles. Container handling is also on the rise. The increase recorded is 12% in total. Of 238,309 TEUs handled in 2018, it has increased to 266,137 TEUs this year. The main cargoes handled by containers in the period are chicken, wood, pulp and paper, via export, and fertilizers, plastics, organic chemicals and machines (reactors and boilers), on import.
ANTONINA – Port of Antonina cargo handling is also recovering. The increase registered in the four-month period is 89%. In total, this year, from January to April, 346,435 tons of cargo moved. In the same period, in 2018, were 183,385 tons.
“Antonina has returned to move a lot of fertilizers and has been recovering from a year not very busy, as was 2018, especially in the first half,” explains the director of operations, Luiz Teixeira. In addition to the fertilizer, sugar in sacks and soybean meal are transported in Antonina.
Source: APPA – Administração dos Portos de Paranaguá e Antonina
