Exports from the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina to the Mercosur, a customs union between Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, increased by 30.1% in comparison to the same period last year and reached US$ 206.8 million.
In the same comparison, imports increased at a smaller rate (21.1%), but reached US$ 306.5 million, generating a deficit to the state of US$ 99.6 million.
The information was released by the Federation of Industries of the State of Santa Catarina (Fiesc). As always, Argentina is responsible for the greater part of the purchases.
The US$ 147.1 million exported to this country corresponded to 71% of the total accumulated in the first five months of the year in sales to the members of the bloc.
Argentina was also the main supplier of the products imported by Santa Catarina: US$ 227.3 million, corresponding to 74% of the total.
The products from the state in the southern region of Brazil most sold to the Mercosur were refrigerators, which between January and May totaled US$ 23.8 million, an increase in 73% in relation to the figures from last year.
Next are cardboard paper (US$ 16.4 million), vehicles’ bodies (US$ 11.2 million) and pork meat (US$ 11 million) – the latter with the greatest increase in percentage terms: 180.8%.
The purchases made by Santa Catarina from the Mercosur were mainly of inputs for the industry. Raw materials for the plastics segment topped the list of imports, followed by bottles, malt and wheat.
CNI