Brazil May chemical imports fall 2.7% at $3.5bn

15 June 2012 05:13  [Source: ICIS news]

CAMPINAS, Brazil (ICIS)--Brazil’s imports of chemical products in May totalled $3.5bn (€2.8bn), down 2.7% year on year, the country’s chemical industry association, Abiquim, said on Thursday.

Chemical imports in May were up 14.3% compared with April, while exports grew 7.5% month on month to totalled $1.3bn, it said.

In January-May 2012, Brazil imported $15.8bn worth of chemical products, 3.3% higher year on year, while exports were up 2% at $6.2bn, according to Abiquim said.

“The weak performance of the plastic goods industry and global economic uncertainties make any deeper analysis difficult until the end of the year,” said Denise Mazzaro Naranjo, foreign trade director at Abiquim.

From January to May, Brazil’s trade deficit in chemicals totalled $9.6bn, up 4.1% year on year.

Chemical products represent 17.3% of Brazil’s overall import bill $91.6bn in the first five months of the year. Chemical imports and exports in this period reached 11.1m tonnes and 5.7m tonnes, respectively, according to Abiquim.

($1 = €0.79)

By: Leo Siqueira
+1 713 525 2600

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