Agribusiness exports from Brazil break record and reach US$ 43.6 billion

From the Newsroom*

São Paulo – Brazilian agribusiness exports broke a new record and reached US$
43.6 billion last year. The value represented an increase of 11.8%, or US$ 4.5
billion over those of 2004, when sector foreign trade revenues totalled US$ 39
billion.

The trade balance surplus reached US$ 38.4 billion, 12.6% over the US$ 34.1
billion of 2004. Agribusiness answered to 37% of total Brazilian exports last
year. This information was supplied by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock
and Supply.

The products that most contributed to the increase in foreign sales,
according to the Ministry, were meats (31%), sugar and alcohol (49%), coffee
(42%) and paper and cellulose (17%). The growth of these products compensated
the losses of the soy complex, whose revenues dropped 5.7% due to a 15% price
reduction. Soy complex exports totalled US$ 9.476 billion in 2005.

*Translated by Mark Ament