Figures released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply show that Brazil’s agricultural exports rose from US$ 24.8bn to US$ 49.4bn between the beginning of 2002 and the end of 2006 – an increase of 99%.

The sugar and sugar-alcohol sector (the latter including ethanol fuel, produced from sugar cane) recorded the best performance with an increase in sales of 243% over the five-year period, while meat exports rose by 170%, coffee by 143%, cereals and cereal preparations by 123%, and fruit by 91%.

Agriculture minister Luís Carlos Guedes Pinto predicted that agricultural exports in 2007 will match or even surpass the rate of growth seen in 2006.

Brazil is the world’s biggest producer and exporter of sugar and sugar-alcohol, and the favourable scenario both for sugar and ethanol fuel on the world market means the sector is set to continue its outstanding performance. Sugar exports totalled US$ 6.2bn in 2006 (an increase of almost 60% in relation to 2005) while sugar-alcohol exports reached US$ 1.6bn (more than double the 2005 figure).

Brazil has also become the world’s biggest exporter of beef and chicken, selling to 147 different countries. This constitutes a remarkable degree of expansion given the fact that Brazil had a trade deficit in meats as recently as the early 1990s.

Despite the impressive growth in exports of sugar and sugar-alcohol, meats, coffee, cereals and fruit, Brazil’s major agricultural product is still soya, with exports totalling US$ 9.3bn in 2006.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply and Embassy of Brazil in London