The exports of the agribusiness sector in Brazil recorded a historical record in January this year, with the value exceeding US$ 10 billion. The main products responsible for this result were corn, meat (beef, pork and chicken) and sugar. The increase in these values can be explained by the increase in average export prices, the quantity shipped and demand of some foreign markets. The data are from the Secretariat of Commerce and International Relations (SCRI) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa).

Corn

Corn accounted for US$ 1.8 billion, corresponding to an increase of 166.4%. This record amount was influenced by the slow pace of the soybean harvest, which enabled the logistics of transportation for the cereal; the reduction of production of a major world supplier of corn due to the national conflict; and by the demand of China, from the authorization for marketing in November last year.

Meats

External sales of meat reached almost US$ 2 billion, also a record for the months of January. Beef corresponded to US$ 848 million and the exported volume was 182 thousand tons. China was the largest destination of this protein, with acquisition of 57% of the exported value (US$ 483 million). Chicken meat also obtained favorable performance with record volume and high average export price. The main reason for this high demand was the incidence of avian influenza in large producing regions, which enabled the strong increase in the amount exported by Brazil.

Sugar

External sugar sales totaled US$870 million, up 68%. The main destinations were Algeria, Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt and China.

Soybeans

The soybean complex (grain, bran and oil) exported US$ 1.5 billion, a decrease of 26.6%. Even with the low availability of soy due to the volume of rainfall, the National Supply Company (Conab) estimates a record production of 152.9 million tons of the grain. Soybean meal totaled US$ 765 million exported and soybean oil, US$ 267 million. Both record results for January.

The results achieved in the first months of the year are a reason for great satisfaction for the agribusiness sector, which reached the highest value of its exports in January this year, exceeding $ 10 billion. Much of this success is the result of good market strategy and high quality of Brazilian products, which win over national and international consumers.