MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan exports keep blooming

Meat remained the main export product after an increase of 26.6%, mainly due to higher sales to China, the United States, and the Netherlands.

According to an Uruguayan Exporters Union (UEU) report released Thursday, orders from abroad have increased by 28% interannually, reaching a total of US$ 1.076 billion.

The document was based on the Single Customs Documents (DUA), which do not include exports leaving from duty-free trade zones.

So far this year, exports have reached US$ 8.216 billion, 37.5% more than in the same period last year. Meanwhile, in the 12 months ending in August, sales went up 35.8%, compared to the similar period ending August 2021, and totaled US$ 11.435 billion.

If shipments from duty-free trade zones are taken into account, there was an increase of 29% in August and an increase of 35% in the first eight months of the year, according to Uruguay XXI.

Electricity exports were not measured in these reports.

August's increase in requests for exports of goods measured in dollars was largely explained by higher soybean shipments, mainly through the Nueva Palmira free trade zone and to China, and cereals bound for Venezuela.

China went back to the top of the list as the largest export destination, despite a 1.25% drop from the same month last year, due to lower sales of meat, wood, and dairy products. Meat came in second place despite the 21.94% drop, mainly due to lower requests from China, despite a growth in sales to the Netherlands, the United States, and Brazil.

The largest increase of the month was milling products due to higher requests from Brazil and Bolivia. Meanwhile, the sharpest drop was in fruits due to lower requests from the Netherlands and Spain.

In the first eight months of the year, exports increased by 37.5% compared to the same period of 2021. China was the main destination, driven by meat and soybeans; in second place was Brazil, due to higher sales of vehicles and milling products.

Nueva Palmira's free-trade zone recorded the highest increase due to the channeling of soybeans and cereals to different destinations.