Agribusiness exports reached US$ 8.82 billion, a record value for the months of January, which meant an increase of 57.5% in relation to the US$ 5.60 billion exported in January last year.
According to data released by the Secretariat of Commerce and International Relations (SCRI) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), this strong growth in exported value was influenced both by the expansion of average export prices, which rose 19% in comparison with January 2021, as well as due to the increase in exported volume, which grew 32.3%.
With this significant increase, the share of agribusiness in Brazilian exports grew from 37.5% (January/2021) to 44.9% (January/2022).
The highlight of January's shipments was the soy complex, with US$ 2.12 billion, a figure 338.3% higher than the US$ 484.07 million exported in January 2021 (+US$ 1.64 billion).
Soy beans registered 2.45 million tons in exports (+4,853.6%), or US$ 1.24 billion (+5,223.9%); record values ​​for the months of January.
According to SCRI analysts, there is a growing global demand for the oilseed, due to the resumption of production and consumption of animal protein in the world, which indicates a reduction in the stock/consumption ratio of soybeans in grains in 2022. Thus, the forecast is that China will import around 100 million tons this year.
In January, the Asian country acquired 80.1% of the volume of soybeans exported by Brazil (1.97 million tons). In addition to China, the European Union and Vietnam also imported more than 100 thousand tons from Brazil: 159.8 thousand and 136.7 thousand tons acquired, respectively.
Soybean meal exports rose 45.6% in volume, from 1.03 million to 1.49 million tons. Soybean oil exports also showed significant growth due to strong Indian demand and increased domestic availability. Soybean oil exports reached US$ 232.54 million in January 2022 (+1,974%) or 170,26 thousand tons (+1,907.6%). India acquired 82% of the total volume exported (139.76 thousand tons).
The second largest agribusiness exporting sector was meat. With US$ 1.61 billion in January 2022 (+39.8%), it reached a record value for these months in the entire historical series. There was an increase in the volume exported (+21.1%) and in average export prices (+15.5%).
The main meat exported by Brazil was beef, with US$ 801.06 million in foreign sales (+46.2%), a record for the months of January. Both the volume exported and the average export price grew, +25.7% and +16.3%, respectively.
Chicken meat exports were also records, with the value exported reaching US$ 604.89 million (+42.8%). The exported volume, also a record, (+20.2%), had high average export prices (+18.8%).
Unlike beef and chicken, foreign sales of pork grew exclusively due to the expansion of the exported volume, which increased 18.5%, from 62 thousand tons (January/2021) to 73 thousand tons (January/2021). 2022). On the other hand, the average export price fell by 7.4%.
The reduction in Chinese demand for imported pork has affected international prices since the second half of 2021, due to the recovery of the Chinese pig herd. Even so, China continued to be the main importer of Brazilian fresh pork , with a 44% share of exported volumes, which represented US$ 62.85 million (-20.4%).
In the case of wheat, foreign sales were record in value (US$ 190.93 million; +121.0%) and quantity (648.06 thousand tons; +61.6%), mainly due to the lower demand for the product in the national market and the record Brazilian wheat crop in 2021 (7.68 million tons, according to Conab).
The three main importing countries of Brazilian wheat were: Saudi Arabia (218.92 thousand tons); Morocco (180.6 thousand tons) and Indonesia (141.1 thousand tons).
The coffee sector registered US$ 719.21 million in foreign sales (+41.1%). There was a drop in the volume exported in January (-18.5%), but the increase in average export prices (+73.0%) more than offset this reduction. Brazil is the world's largest producer and the main product exported by the sector is green coffee (with an export record of US$ 659.01 million; +41.3%).
Average export prices reached US$3,700 per ton in January 2022 (+76.1%). Foreign sales of soluble coffee reached US$ 54.15 million (+37.1%). ■