Brazil improved its trade surplus by 47.8 percent in 2011

Rio de Janeiro, Jan. 2 (Thomson Financial) .- Brazil had a trade surplus of 29,790 million dollars in 2011, 47.8% more than last year by the sharp increase in exports of food, minerals and other commodities, Government reported today.
Exports amounted to 256.041 million dollars, a record that exceeded by 26.8% the previous year, according to the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC).
Imports also reached an unprecedented, 226.251 million dollars, with an annual rise of 24.5%, and the flow of trade (sum of both indicators) amounted to 482.292 million dollars, an increase of 25.7%.
The executive secretary (deputy minister) of the MDIC, Alessandro Teixeira, described these results as "excellent" and noted that most countries of the world have worsened the trade balance and exports have fallen by the crisis.
China established itself as the largest market in Brazil, with an increase in purchases of 43.9% to 44,300 million dollars, almost double that of the second client of the country, the United States, which imported 25,900 million , 33.3% from the previous year.
Argentina, Brazil's third largest customer, increased its purchases by 22.6% and Mercosur as a whole, 23.2%, while the rest of Latin America increased their orders by 15.4% and the European Union, 22 , 7%.
Imports experienced increases in all segments, leading to increases in fuel (42.7%) and consumer goods (27.5%).
U.S. is the leading provider of Brazil (34 200 million), followed closely by China (32,800 million) and also in Argentina (16,900 million).
The executive secretary of the MDIC, who declined to provide accurate forecasts for 2012, said Brazil will continue to increase its exports and a new record trade surplus, although it is expected to be a year "difficult" for the industry. Thomson Financial

Adriana Gurgel
Profesora y Consultora Internacional
selectirrhh@yahoo.es