MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Brazil posted its worst trade surplus since 2.000 at 2.56bn dollars
Iron ore, cereals, oilseeds and petroleum among the country's main exports Brazil posted its lowest trade surplus in 13 years on Thursday, at 2.56 billion dollars for 2013, the trade and commerce ministry said, citing rising imports. The country's foreign trade association AEB had previously warned that 2013 could see the first full-year trade deficit since 2000, which compares with a 19,4bn dollars surplus in 2012
Brazil avoided that scenario -- but the surplus still slid 86.8% compared to 2012, even if the performance surpassed market expectations of 1.2 billion.
Exports were off just 0.1% at 242.2 billion on 2012, but imports soared 7.3% year on year to 239.6 billion.
Despite worries of a potential slide in demand from China, the Asian giant remains by far the biggest market for Brazilian produce, accounting for a 46 billion share, with the United States lagging well behind with a 24 billion share.
Since 2000, Brazilian exports to China of products such as iron, soy and cellulose have increased around eightfold and the Chinese now have a total share of some 18%.
Exports to Asia as a whole rose last year by 2.3% but the increase to China was 10.8%. Exports to Africa were off by contrast 9.9%, fell 8.2% to the United States and dropped 3.6% to the European Union.
Imports from Western Europe slid 13.1% but imports from Africa rose 21.3% and 10.4% from the United States.
However despite the overall discouraging numbers Brazilian exports to Argentina rose by 8.1% from 2012 to 19.616 billion dollars, while Argentine exports edged up a mere 0.1% to 16.463 billion with a surplus of 3.153bn.
Argentina remains Brazil’s third most-important supplier, behind China and the United States, representing 6.9% of total acquired goods. The same order of countries applies to the largest buyers of Brazilian exports.
Top Comments
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Read all commentsSo the bottom line (the ONLY one that matters) shows a slide of nearly TWENTY TWO BILLION DOLLARS.
Jan 04th, 2014 - 04:26 pm 0Way to go Mantega and co!
Where's Dog Dildo © 2013 Simon68 when he’s needed most to bring a note of jollity to the proceedings? Perhaps he can loan Dilma his bitcoin but I suspect her likely retort of “it’s too fucking small you wanker” might prove a little off-putting if you know what I mean, nod-nod-, wink-wink.
Well, no end slated me for predicting that Mr. Market would sort it out, and he has!
Ha, ha, ha.
Cue Brasleiro to call me names but offer no solutions.
a significant part of the population (in Brazil) that sponges off those that work and actually pay taxes, don't read the papers, and have no idea what's goin' on....problem is that instead of reading the paper (because they are illiterate, like our previous president) , they use it to wipe their arses...
Jan 04th, 2014 - 09:56 pm 040 billions USD we import of oil to thermeletric dam. In 2014 level water reservatory is better (more rains). 87% of our energy matrix is hidro.
Jan 05th, 2014 - 03:26 pm 0Right = Brazil surrenders
Left = Brazil dominates
Your money is bad!
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