Exports from Brazil last week generated US$ 3.212 billion, and imports, US$ 3.216 billion, which resulted in a trade deficit of US$ 4 million, according to figures disclosed December 14 by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.
In the accumulated result for December, exports totaled US$ 5.83 billion, and imports, US$ 5.558 billion, resulting in a surplus of 372 million.
This year, Brazilian shipments generated US$ 144.362 billion, as against imports of US$ 120.788 billion, resulting in a surplus of US$ 23.574 billion, 1.8% more than in the same period in 2008.
Meanwhile Brazilian exports of leather, in November, grew 11% over the previous month. Sales totaled US$ 115.26 million. The figures were disclosed by the Confederation of Brazilian Hides and Skins Industries (CICB).
From January to November, exports of the product generated US$ 1 billion, which represented a reduction of 42% over the same period in 2008. According to the president at the CICB, Wolfgang Goerlich, the value exported should end the year 40%, or US$ 700 million, lower than revenues in 2008, which totaled US$ 1.88 billion.
"Our target for 2010 is to recover at least 50% of this difference, or around US$ 350 million, and at the same time redouble efforts to expand sales on the domestic market," said the executive in a CICB press statement.
The main destinations for Brazilian leather in November were China and Hong Kong, both with imports of US$ 373.78 million, Italy, with US$ 232.5 million; the United States, with US$ 89.35 million, and Vietnam, with US$ 38.23 million.
In the accumulated result for the year, among the countries that expanded their imports of Brazilian leather is Lebanon, with growth of 332% and purchases of US$ 167,440.
