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More foreign
relations
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Bothexportsandimportsofvegetablesarebackonarising
trendin2016,whiletheshortfall inthebalanceof tradecontinues
T
he trade in olericulture prod-
ucts is still negligible between
Brazil and other countries,
while imports are more ex-
pressive. Although the latter
are slightly evolving, Brazilian exports have
beenconsistently risingover thepast years.
This was what happened in 2016, when
both the volume of exports and the rev-
enue brought in rose 12.6% and 5.9%, re-
spectively, while in the previous year these
positive rates went up 27.7%and 3.3%.
Fruit vegetables (melon and water-
melon) are the most exported crops, and
have been making strides in sales, where
the latter leads in percentage, with an in-
crease of 22.7% in the volume shipped
abroad in 2016, following on the heels
of the previous year’s increase of 79.1%.
Northeastern melons, which also lead
the fruit exports in volume, resumed their
upward trend in transactions (0.4%), af-
ter registering a 13.7-percent expansion
in the previous year.
The crop that occupies the forefront
position in foreign sales is conquering
new markets (Argentina, Chile, Japan,
Vietnam), in addition to the main mar-
ket, the European Union, says Luiz Ro-
berto Barcelos, producer and director at
Agrícola Famosa, and president of the
Brazilian Fruit Growers and Exporters
Association (Abrafrutas). Still according
to his declarations to the 2017 Brazilian
Fruit Yearbook, the projection is for more
growth throughout 2017.
The most significant evolution, in per-
centage terms, at vegetable exports in
2016, occurred with the carrot, with an
increase of 1,325%, and with sweet-pota-
toes, 1,006%, compared to the previous
year, when these exports had dropped,
but at lower levels: 75% and 31%, re-
spectively. Another product, the onion,
which is very noticeable in imports, has
registered for two years in a row signifi-
cant growth in the foreign destinations,
always at a rate of 350%.
The bulb, the second most imported
olericulture product by Brazil, suffered a
decrease in this move in 2016, about 33%,
while in the previous year it had risen 74%.
The English potato, in turn, is still the most
imported item, especially in industrialized
form, and its operationswereup33% in the
year inquestion. Garlic andpea, whichcon-
tinue on the list of the most imported, also
experienced purchase increases, 6.9% and
25%, respectively.
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Differential and potential
Other products that were purchased abroad in large proportions are as follows: tomatoes, cassava, lentils, different seeds
and strawberry, after significant declines in 2015. In general, the acquisitions of horticultural products from abroad were up
6.4% in 2016, almost on a par with the levels registered in the previous year, whilst the value shelled out went up 20%, after a
period in which it had decreased by 7%. Total imports (976 thousand tons, valued at US$ 1.07 billion) outstrip exports by far
(443 thousand tons, totaling US$ 308 million).
The sector still cherishes the “export dream” in bigger amounts, as mentioned by researchers Geovani Amaro and Nirlene
Vilela in a lecture at the Agrarian Sciences Symposium in Northwest Minas Gerais, in 2016. To this end, they highlighted the
differential and potential consisting in the fact that “Brazil produces vegetables all year round, while Europe and part of North
America have limitations because of their cold winter climates, a situation that could turn into an advantage to the Brazilian
producers, based on a broader study of the market”.
INTERNALIZAÇÕES
Importações brasileiras de
olerícolas em 2016
Produtos
Kg
Batata-inglesa
412.900.495
Cebola
183.157.612
Alho
174.909.563
Ervilha
52.347.078
Tomate
38.411.730
Mandioca
31.522.148
Lentilha
13.241.615
Sementes diversas
11.723.548
Morango
8.497.186
Grão-de-bico
7.582.983
Condimentos/Temperos
4.928.316
Pepino
2.014.973
Mostarda
1.925.741
Aspargo
1.832.502
Cogumelo/Trufa
1.282.221
Outros
30.219.623
Total
976.497.334
Fonte:
MDIC/Aliceweb — Elaboração: Editora Gazeta
imports
