Brazil’s exports of high-tech products fall to worst level since 2001

Total exports from the Brazilian manufacturing industry returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021, but the performance of the most technologically intensive categories has never been so weak. According to a study conducted by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) based on data from Fundação Centro de Estudos do Comércio Exterior (Funcex), high and medium-high technology commodities accounted for just 14.2% of overseas sales in the previous year.

This is the lowest level since 2001 when the period under consideration began. That year, high-tech products accounted for 33% of the export list. The loss was 19.1 percentage points over the course of 21 years.

Foreign sales of high and medium-high technology totaled R$ 39.8 billion in 2021, below the US$ 41.2 billion registered before the health crisis, in 2019. The data reinforce a trend of recent years. Since 2010, there has been a loss of 8.9 percentage points in the share of the two categories.

Aircraft and machines perform worse

The decline in exports was stronger concerning high-tech products: 31.8% less in the given period, going from US$ 9.3 million in 2019 to US$ 6.4 million in 2021.

All high-tech product groups recorded losses within the two years, except for Chemicals and Armaments. The worst performances were in the Aeronautics and Aerospace group, with a drop of 50.6%; Non-electrical machines (including nuclear reactors, gas turbines, and laser machines), down 41.7%, and Scientific instruments (-18.3%).

Latin America is Brazil’s top destination for medium-high and high-tech goods

In 2021, Latin America accounted for almost half of Brazil’s high and medium-high technology goods exports. The exports generated a revenue of US$ 19.8 billion, which confirms the importance of the region for Brazil’s region. The increase was 9.7% from 2019 to 2021.

The other two biggest buyers of more technologically intensive goods are the United States and the European Union. Together, the three destinations accounted for 81.8% of exports in the two categories last year.

Although the United States remains the primary importer of Brazilian commodities of high and medium-high technology, the categories have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. As a result, between 2019 and 2021, sales to the North American country decreased by 25%.

Non-industrial products dominate Brazil’s exports to China, the country’s biggest trading partner. Soybeans, iron ore, and oil sales represent 82.8 percent of Brazil’s export basket to China in 2021.

Comex do Brasil

Para ler o artigo original completo acesse:

https://www.comexdobrasil.com/exportacoes-de-produtos-de-mais-alta-tecnologia-caem-ao-pior-patamar-desde-2001-mostra-estudo-da-cni/

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