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 Brazil's agricultural income in 2008 should total 155.27 billion Brazilian reais (US$ 71.4 billion), according to the Strategic Management Advisory (AGE) at Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply. The income is calculated based on crop surveys by the National Food Supply Company (Conab) and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
The value estimated for this year concerns 20 crops, including temporary ones such as soybean, corn, rice, wheat, sugarcane, and permanent ones such as coffee, cocoa, orange and grape. Compared with last year, the figure represents growth of 17.11% after inflation.
Among the products surveyed, cotton, sugarcane, cassava, black pepper, tomato and grape will see a reduction in come compared with 2007, as a consequence of price and quantity effects. With the exception of cassava, the remaining products had price reductions.
Another 14 products saw an increase in income in 2008. The greatest increments were those of bean (87.78%), coffee (48.69%), wheat (40.79%), soybean (31,83%) and corn (30.65%). Income results per region show that the Midwest and the South have the highest income expansion rates in comparison with last year.
Record Exports
Brazilian agribusiness exports totaled US$ 6.5 billion in June, an increase of 30.3% over the same month last year. The value of foreign sales is record for months of June. From July 2007 to June this year, Brazilian agribusiness exports reached the historic value of US$ 65.4 billion.
The soy complex, meats and the sugar and alcohol complex were those that contributed most to the increase in sales in June. In all, exports of the soy complex grew 77.5%, totaling US$ 2.2 billion. The value of soy in grain exported rose 84%, from US$ 817 million to US$ 1.5 billion, a result obtained due to the 59.7% increase in the price of the commodity on the international market combined with the growth of the volume exported, which grew 15.3%.
Prices of soy chaff rose in comparison with June 2007, generating revenues of US$ 446 million, 74% more than in the same month last year. The volume exported grew 4.2%. Also powered by the 85% increase in international prices, the value of soy oil exports was 49% greater than in the same period in 2007, totaling US$ 235 million. The volume of soy oil shipped, however, dropped 19.5%.
In the case of exports of meats, there was growth of 45.9%, reaching US$ 1.3 billion. This result was obtained both due to the greater prices, up 30%, and by the expansion in the volume shipped, 12%. The volume of raw beef shipped, however, was reduced by 22%, but this reduction was more than compensated by the 57.3% price hike, which resulted in growth of 22.7% of the value exported.
Sales of raw chicken rose 51.5%, as a result of a 27% price increase and 19.3% expansion in the volume sold. Revenues obtained with foreign sales of pork also registered 37% growth. The volume exported was practically the same as that in the same month of last year, but prices rose 36.2%.
Agribusiness exports in June grew 55.4%, reaching US$ 950 million. The trade balance surplus in June resulted in a US$ 5.6 billion surplus. The increase in the value of exports was mainly due to the acquisition of natural rubber (+45%), palm oil (+341%) and flour (+132%). The volumes of wheat and rice exported dropped 34.8% and 57.5%, respectively.
From January to June, agribusiness exports totaled US$ 33.7 billion, 26.3% more than in the same period in 2007. Imports also grew in the first six months of the year and registered expansion of 42.7%, reaching around US$ 5.6 billion. The five main sectors responsible for the expansion of exports from January to June this year were the soy complex (+67.5%), meats (+33.4%), grain, chaff and preparations (+77.7%), forestry products (+10.1%) and coffee (+15.4%).
With regard to export destinations, the most expressive growths in values exported were identified to the countries in the Latin-American Integration Association (Aladi) (64.3%, excluding the countries of the Mercosur), Asia (58%), the Mercosur (22%), Eastern Europe (39%) and the European Union (23.3%).
With regard to countries, there was a significant change in the main importers of Brazilian agribusiness products. The strong growth in sales to China (81.9%) placed that market as the main destination for exports, with 11.7% participation in global Brazilian agribusiness sales. Also prominent is the great increase in sales to Venezuela (152.4%) and Thailand (121.3%).
Anba
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