Agribusiness products exports from the state of São Paulo, in Brazil's Southeast, totaled US$ 5.6 billion from January to May this year, representing a reduction of 9.5% over the same period of last year. Still, the balance of trade ran a surplus of US$ 3.38 billion.
The figures were supplied by the Agricultural Economy Institute (IEA), a branch of the Secretariat of Agriculture of the State of São Paulo.
With regard to imports of agribusiness products by the state of São Paulo, which totaled US$ 2.22 billion, the figure represents a 20% decrease compared with the first five months of 2008. The figures show that imports by the remaining sectors in the state of São Paulo totaled US$ 16.49 billion, and exports totaled US$ 9.92 billion, generating a foreign trade deficit of US$ 6.57 billion.
The press release issued by the secretariat underscores that the foreign trade deficit of the state of São Paulo would have been even higher if it were not for the performance of the agribusiness sector.
Another fact that the press release highlights is that the share of agribusiness in total exports from the state of São Paulo increased by 7.7%, whereas the sector's share in imports rose by just 0.5%.
Brazilian agribusiness exports from January to May, which totaled US$ 25.13 billion, were also lower, having decreased by 12.9% over the same period of last year. With regard to imports, the volume was 29.7% lower, having totaled US$ 6.47 billion.
The surplus reached US$ 18.66 billion, 5% less than in the same period of 2008. The Secretariat of Agriculture informed that, nevertheless, the sector's performance carried the Brazilian trade balance, as the remaining sectors, with US$ 39.65 billion in imports and US$ 30.35 billion in exports, generated a deficit of US$ 9.3 billion during the period.
