The southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais exported in excess of US$ 1 billion for the 23rd month in a row. Sales totaled US$ 1.468 billion in January, guaranteeing the state the second position among the Brazilian states that exported most.
This information was disclosed on the site of the government of the state of Minas Gerais.
The state of Minas Gerais answered, in January, to 13.4%, of the total exported by the country. Foreign sales of the state of Minas grew 35.4%, while the national average was 18.3%. In the accumulated result for 12 months, between February 2006 and January 2007, exports from Minas totaled US$ 16.022 billion.
Meanwhile, Brazil exported US$ 1.322 billion worth of commodities in the first two business days of February 2007. Imports, on the other hand, amounted to US$ 773 million, resulting in a trade balance surplus of US$ 549 million.
The data were disclosed Monday, February 5, by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.
The daily average of exports was US$ 661 million in those two days, 36% more than the average for February last year. The average of imports was US$ 386.5 million, 16.9% more than in February 2006.
There was a significant increase in exports of semi-manufactured goods, such as iron and steel, raw sugar, leather and skins; basic items such as grain corn, tobacco leaves and bovine meat; and manufactured goods, such as frozen orange juice, ethanol and cargo vehicles.
Regarding imports, there was an increase in trade of pharmaceuticals, cereals and milling products, fertilizers, and fuels and lubricants, still according to information provided by the Ministry.
In 2006, exports amounted to US$ 12.285 billion, and imports, to US$ 9.243 billion, resulting in a US$ 3.042 billion trade balance surplus.