MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian record trade surplus

Brazil managed a 2,6 billion US dollars trade surplus last March, compared to a 1,54 billion US dollars surplus in 2003.

A release from the Brazilian Central Bank indicates that during March 2004 Brazilian exports reached 7,93 billion US dollars and imports, 5,33 billion US dollars.

The strong March showing helped achieve a record surplus of 6,17 billion US dollars in the first quarter of 2004 compared to the 3,8 billion US dollars surplus of the first quarter of 2003.

Exports totalled 19,448 billion US dollars and imports 13,278 billion.

The Brazilian government announced this week that the 2004 trade surplus could reach 29 billion US dollars compared to the 24,8 billon US dollars of 2003, which is the standing record.

Growing farm exports and a strong depreciation of the local currency have spurred Brazil's trade performance while a weak domestic market has curtailed imports.