Imports on the rise show a new moment in the economy

The Brazilian trade balance has registered a surplus of US$ 45.9 billion, with exports totaling US$ 167.5 billion and imports of US$ 121.5 billion. However, this year, imports are rising and not just in value – which would be explained by the dollar appreciated against the real – or because 2020 was an atypical year. Brazil is, in fact, importing more than in 2019.

Between January and July this year, Brazil imported 99.89 million tons of products. In the same period of 2020, 81.7 million tons were imported. In the first seven months of 2019, purchases from other countries totaled 86.4 million tons.

Imports from Asia, Europe (except the European Union), North America, South America, Mercosur, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Middle East, Andean Community of Nations, Central America, and the Caribbean and Oceania are increasing. Only Africa and the European Union sold less to Brazil up to July this year than up to July 2019.

According to José Augusto de Castro, executive president of AEB (the Brazilian foreign trade association), imports are higher because Brazilian companies need to replenish their stocks. “In April 2020, with the pandemic, companies stopped purchasing and began to consume their inventories. Today, there is a lack of components and, therefore, there is a stronger movement of imports, mainly of intermediate goods, for the transformation industry”, he analyzes. Among these goods are equipment and parts for the automobile, aerospace, and oil industries, among many others.

Castro also remembers another challenge that puts pressure on companies: the shortage of ships and containers, which raises the price of freight and generates imbalances. The reheating of global trade and the longer time to clear goods at ports in the world has created a shortage of vessels on the Brazilian coast.

Source: ANBA – Brazil-Arab News Agency

To read the full original article, visit the link:

https://anba.com.br/importacoes-em-alta-mostram-novo-momento-da-economia/

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