Brazil exported US$ 3.930 billion in the first week of March

In the first five business days of March (1 to 8), Brazilian exports totaled US$ 3.930 billion, with a daily average of US$ 786 million.This average shows a result that is 15.3% less than in March of 2014 (US$ 927.8 million).In this comparison, sales were down for basic products (-28.5%), especially iron ore, soybeans, pork, chicken and beef, and crude oil.Intermediate goods were also down (-0.2%), particularly raw soy oil, semi-finished gold and semi-finished iron and steel.On the other hand, manufactured goods were unchanged, with cast iron tubes, flat laminates, orange juice and passenger vehicles higher.

In relation to the average of February of this year (US$ 671.8 million), exports were up by 17%, with growth in sales of basic goods (25.4%) and manufactured goods (17%), while intermediate goods were lower (-2.5%).
March imports reached US$ 3.980 billion, with a daily average of US$ 796 million.With this performance, imports were down by 13.6% compared to the average from March of last year (US$ 921.6 million).The biggest drops were in purchases of fertilizers (-43.9%), automobiles and autoparts (-31.3%), rubber and rubberworks (-22.5%), mechanical equipment (-22.3%), and pharmaceuticals (-15.8%).

Compared to February of this year (US$ 829.7 million), imports fell by 4.1%, with fertilizers (-35.8%), fuels and lubricants (-17.9%), and plastic and plasticworks (-9.3%) and mechanical equipment (-4.1%) lower.
Brazil ended the week with a negative trade balance of US$ 50 million (average daily deficit of US$ 10 million).The trade flow reached US$ 7.910 billion (average of US$ 1.582 billion).Based on daily performance, there was a 14.5% dip in the trade flow compared to March of last year (US$ 1.849 billion) and a 5.4% increase in relation to last February (US$ 1.501 billion).

Year
From January to the first week in March of this year (44 business days), foreign sales totaled US$ 29.726 billion (daily average of US$ 675.6 million).In the comparison with the daily average from the same period in 2014 (US$ 768.7 million), exports shrunk by 12.1%.Imports were at US$ 35.791 billion, with a daily average of US$ 813.4 million.This amount is 10% less than the average found in the same period in 2014 (US$ 904 million).

For the year to date, the trade balance is at a deficit of US$ 6.065 billion, with a negative daily average result of US$ 137.8 million.For the same period in 2014, there was a deficit of US$ 6.088 billion, with a negative daily average of US$ 135.3 million.The trade flow for 2014 totals US$ 65.517 billion, with a daily average of US$ 1.489 billion.This amount is 11% less than the average found in the same period last year (US$ 1.672 billion).

Source: MDIC