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From a continental perspective, 44% of Brazilian exports by value was delivered to Asian countries while about 19.2% was sold to European importers. Brazil shipped another 16.9% worth of goods to Latin America (excluding Mexico) plus Caribbean nations. Brazilian exports to North American clients totaled 15.4% with roughly 3.4% delivered in Africa and just 0.3% arriving in Oceania led by Australia and Marshall Islands.
Given Brazil’s population of 208.8 million people, its total $239.9 billion in 2018 exports translates to roughly $1,150 for every resident in South America’s largest country.
In macroeconomic terms, Brazil’s total exported goods represent 7.1% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2018 ($3.365 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 7.1% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2018 compares to 7.2% for 2014, seeming to indicate a relatively decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Brazil’s total economic performance. And while this article focuses on exported goods, it is interesting to note that Brazil also provided $34 billion worth of exports-related services to global customers for an additional 1% of GDP in PPP.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Brazil’s unemployment rate was 12.3% at May 2019 down from 12.4% one year earlier, according to Trading Economics.
Brazil’s Top 10 Exports
Top 10
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Brazilian global shipments during 2018. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Brazil.
- Oil seeds: US$33.5 billion (14% of total exports)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $29.7 billion (12.4%)
- Ores, slag, ash: $23.7 billion (9.9%)
- Machinery including computers: $14.8 billion (6.2%)
- Meat: $13.3 billion (5.5%)
- Vehicles: $12.7 billion (5.3%)
- Iron, steel: $11.8 billion (4.9%)
- Woodpulp: $8.4 billion (3.5%)
- Food industry waste, animal fodder: $7.2 billion (3%)
- Sugar, sugar confectionery: $6.7 billion (2.8%)
Brazil’s top 10 exports accounted for about two-thirds (67.4%) of the overall value of its global shipments.
Mineral fuels including oil was the fastest-growing export category via its 39.8% increase over 2017, followed by food industry waste and animal fodder’s 32.9% gain.
In third place were Brazilian exports of woodpulp which posted a 31.5% boost in value year over year. Close behind were Brazilian shipments of oil seeds (up 28.9%) then exported iron and steel (up 9.7%).
Decliners among Brazil’s top 10 export categories were sugar and sugar confectionery (down -42.3%), vehicles (down -14.1%) and meat (down -4.7%).
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section Searchable List of Brazil’s Most Valuable Export Products further down below.
Advantages
Overall, Brazil achieved a $58.6 billion trade surplus during 2018 down by -12.5% from its $67 billion positive trade balance in 2017.
The following types of Brazilian product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Oil seeds: US$33.3 billion (Up by 29.2% since 2017)
- Ores, slag, ash: $22.5 billion (Up by 6.2%)
- Meat: $13.0 billion (Down by -4.6%)
- Iron, steel: $9.4 billion (Up by 6.1%)
- Woodpulp: $8.2 billion (Up by 32.5%)
- Food industry waste, animal fodder: $6.9 billion (Up by 34.3%)
- Sugar, sugar confectionery: $6.6 billion (Down by -42.6%)
- Coffee, tea, spices: $4.6 billion (Down by -6.1%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $3.4 billion (Reversing a -$328.1 million deficit)
- Wood: $3.1 billion (Up by 14.9%)
Brazil has highly positive net exports in the international trade of oil seeds which is often used for vegetable oil and related products. In turn, these cashflows indicate Brazil’s strong competitive advantages under the oil seed product category.
Opportunities
Below are exports from Brazil that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Brazil’s goods trail Brazilian importer spending on foreign products.
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -US$18.3 billion (Up by 5.8% since 2017)
- Fertilizers: -$8.4 billion (Up by 18%)
- Organic chemicals: -$8.4 billion (Up by 37.6%)
- Pharmaceuticals: -$6 billion (Up by 13.2%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$4.5 billion (Up by 14.3%)
- Machinery including computers: -$4.3 billion (Up by 21.1%)
- Ships, boats: -$4.1 billion (Reversing a $752.7 million surplus)
- Other chemical goods: -$3.9 billion (Up by 22.4%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: -$3.9 billion (Up by 35.9%)
- Vehicles: -$1.4 billion (Reversing a $3.5 billion surplus)
Brazil has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for assembled electronic equipment including consumer electronics.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Brazil’s competitive disadvantages in the international electronics market, but also represent key opportunities for Brazil to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations.
Companies
Brazilian Export Companies
Twenty-five Brazilian corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of the major Brazilian companies that Forbes included:
- Braskem (specialized chemicals)
- BRF-Brasil Foods (food processing)
- Cosan (food processing)
- CSN (iron, steel)
- Embraer (aerospace)
- Itaúsa (industrials conglomerate)
- JBS (food processing)
- Metalurgica Gerdau (iron, steel)
- Petrobras (oil, gas)
- Vale (iron, steel)
- WEG (electrical equipment)
Wikipedia lists many of the larger international trade players from Brazil, plus:
- Grupo Pão de Açúcar (retail including online)
- Oi (telecommunications)
According to global trade intelligence firm Zepol, the following smaller companies are also examples of Brazilian exporters:
- Afil Import Export E Comercio (garlic, flaxseed, corn)
- American Safety Razor Brazil (razor blades, adipic acid)
- Hapag Lloyd Brazil (containers, siliceous earths, white cement)
- Inergy Automotive Systems Do Brazil (combustion engine internal pumps, gas station external pumps)
- Vanguard Logistics Services Do Brazil (transmission belts, rubber/plastic molds, malt beer)
Brazil’s capital city is Brasilia, although many tourists still assume flamboyant Rio de Janeiro is the country’s capital–at least for entertainment purposes.
Searchable List of Brazil’s Most Valuable Export Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, Brazil’s top export products are soya beans followed by iron, crude oil then sugar.
The following searchable table displays 200 of the most in-demand goods shipped from Brazil during 2018. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2017.
| Rank | Brazilian Export Product | 2018 Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soya beans | $33.2 billion | +29.1% |
| 2 | Crude oil | $25.1 billion | +51.2% |
| 3 | Iron ores, concentrates | $20.2 billion | +5.3% |
| 4 | Chemical woodpulp (non-dissolving) | $8 billion | +34.3% |
| 5 | Soya-bean oil-cake, other solid residues | $6.7 billion | +34.7% |
| 6 | Sugar (cane or beet) | $6.5 billion | -42.8% |
| 7 | Poultry meat | $6 billion | -8.7% |
| 8 | Light vessels, fire boats, floating docks | $5.7 billion | +534.9% |
| 9 | Cars | $5.1 billion | -22.9% |
| 10 | Frozen beef | $4.6 billion | +4% |
| 11 | Coffee | $4.4 billion | -5.3% |
| 12 | Processed petroleum oils | $4.2 billion | +135.2% |
| 13 | Corn | $4.1 billion | -11.3% |
| 14 | Iron or non-alloy steel products (semi-finished) | $3.9 billion | +20.1% |
| 15 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $3.5 billion | -3.7% |
| 16 | Turbo-jets | $3.4 billion | +7% |
| 17 | Iron ferroalloys | $3 billion | +20.8% |
| 18 | Gold (unwrought) | $2.8 billion | +0.5% |
| 19 | Aluminum oxide/hydroxide | $2.8 billion | -1.5% |
| 20 | Copper ores, concentrates | $2.6 billion | +6.2% |
| 21 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $2.6 billion | +15.3% |
| 22 | Fruit and vegetable juices | $2.4 billion | +9.7% |
| 23 | Trucks | $2.3 billion | -19.6% |
| 24 | Automobile parts/accessories | $2.2 billion | +2.8% |
| 25 | Unmanufactured tobacco, tobacco waste | $1.9 billion | -5.3% |
| 26 | Cotton (uncarded, uncombed) | $1.6 billion | +16.9% |
| 27 | Tractors | $1.5 billion | +4% |
| 28 | Piston engine parts | $1.4 billion | +4.5% |
| 29 | Alloy steel ingots | $1.2 billion | +25.5% |
| 30 | Rubber tires (new) | $1.1 billion | -5% |
| 31 | Flexible base metal tubing | $1.1 billion | -0.7% |
| 32 | Swine meat | $1.1 billion | -26.9% |
| 33 | Ethylene polymers | $1 billion | -9% |
| 34 | Soya-bean oil | $1 billion | -0.6% |
| 35 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $920 million | -0.8% |
| 36 | Fresh or chilled beef | $899.3 million | +31.4% |
| 37 | Ethyl alcohol | $892.1 million | +10.6% |
| 38 | Miscellaneous meat (preserved/prepared) | $886.7 million | -14.5% |
| 39 | Medication mixes in dosage | $850.2 million | -5.8% |
| 40 | Other animal leather | $846.7 million | -21.7% |
| 41 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $803.1 million | -6.5% |
| 42 | Uncoated paper for writing/printing | $779.7 million | +10.2% |
| 43 | Laminated wood (including plywood, veneer panels) | $774.8 million | +24.8% |
| 44 | Sawn wood | $771.6 million | +16% |
| 45 | Pig iron | $750.5 million | -1.9% |
| 46 | Monument/building stones, art | $720.4 million | -14.6% |
| 47 | Air or vacuum pumps | $633.5 million | +7.1% |
| 48 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $630.1 million | -3.1% |
| 49 | Electric motors, generators | $610 million | +4.6% |
| 50 | Coffee/tea extracts, concentrates | $591.2 million | -10.4% |
| 51 | Miscellaneous furniture | $579.4 million | +13.4% |
| 52 | Bovine/equine leather | $579.1 million | -27.2% |
| 53 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $567.3 million | +11.4% |
| 54 | Piston engines | $567.1 million | +76.8% |
| 55 | Chassis fitted with engine | $542.9 million | -25.5% |
| 56 | Live bovine cattle | $534.8 million | +93.7% |
| 57 | Shaped wood | $495.4 million | +2.7% |
| 58 | Insulated wire/cable | $483.9 million | +21.3% |
| 59 | Hydrogen, rare gases | $479.6 million | +38.5% |
| 60 | Red meat offal | $479.1 million | +1.3% |
| 61 | Aircraft parts | $472.1 million | +16.1% |
| 62 | Rice | $467.9 million | +91.3% |
| 63 | Unglazed ceramic flags, paving, tiles | $449.9 million | +32.5% |
| 64 | Footwear (rubber or plastic) | $449.1 million | -10.8% |
| 65 | Essential oils | $437.2 million | +1.4% |
| 66 | Hydrazine, inorganic salts | $435.8 million | +70.4% |
| 67 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $426.4 million | -5% |
| 68 | Harvest/threshing machinery | $421.1 million | -12.4% |
| 69 | Animal guts, bladders, stomachs | $420.8 million | +11.6% |
| 70 | Manganese ores, concentrates | $406.3 million | +11.1% |
| 71 | Iron and steel tubes, pipes | $403.6 million | +395.2% |
| 72 | Iron or steel tubes, pipes | $401.1 million | -9.3% |
| 73 | Footwear (leather) | $394.5 million | -11.4% |
| 74 | Acyclic hydrocarbons | $394.1 million | -11.6% |
| 75 | Chemical woodpulp (dissolving) | $392.9 million | -6.6% |
| 76 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $383.2 million | -5.2% |
| 77 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $364.5 million | -45% |
| 78 | Other food preparations | $356.6 million | +0.8% |
| 79 | Wood carpentry, builders' joinery | $356.2 million | +11.1% |
| 80 | Iron or non-alloy steel bars, rods | $338.5 million | +11.1% |
| 81 | Automobile bodies | $332.6 million | -3.7% |
| 82 | Public-transport vehicles | $329.5 million | +16.7% |
| 83 | Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides | $306 million | +0.7% |
| 84 | Refined copper, unwrought alloys | $301.9 million | -0.3% |
| 85 | Cellulose fiber paper | $300.7 million | +14.5% |
| 86 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $286.2 million | -6.3% |
| 87 | Coated paper | $285.9 million | -26.3% |
| 88 | Uncoated kraft paper | $283.8 million | +14.6% |
| 89 | Regulate/control instruments | $281 million | +21.7% |
| 90 | Petroleum oil residues | $280.1 million | +37.8% |
| 91 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $278.1 million | +4.2% |
| 92 | Aluminum ores, concentrates | $267.4 million | +12.4% |
| 93 | Copper wire | $267.4 million | +27.9% |
| 94 | Salted/dried/smoked meat | $265.7 million | -25.5% |
| 95 | Ethers | $264.5 million | +2.9% |
| 96 | Coiled iron or non-alloy steel bars, rods | $250.3 million | +0.9% |
| 97 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $248.9 million | -38.6% |
| 98 | Gelatin | $246.8 million | -7.5% |
| 99 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $246.8 million | -1.2% |
| 100 | Amino-compounds (oxygen) | $246.6 million | -18.5% |
| 101 | Zinc (unwrought) | $243.9 million | +11% |
| 102 | Spray/dispersing mechanical appliances | $242.7 million | -2.5% |
| 103 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $233.8 million | +3.7% |
| 104 | Phone system devices including smartphones | $233.6 million | -8% |
| 105 | Electrical converters/power units | $231.8 million | -35.6% |
| 106 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $231.6 million | -31.5% |
| 107 | Unroasted ground-nuts | $230.8 million | +18.4% |
| 108 | Hand-drawn paintings, drawings | $226.4 million | +88.5% |
| 109 | Wood/other ligneous fiberboard | $222.5 million | +4.8% |
| 110 | Plastic tubes, pipes, fittings | $221.3 million | -9.9% |
| 111 | Electric motor parts | $220.9 million | +16% |
| 112 | Melons, watermelons, papayas | $217.9 million | -9.4% |
| 113 | Miscellaneous machinery | $217.6 million | +4.2% |
| 114 | Engines (diesel) | $212.3 million | +45.3% |
| 115 | Dates/figs/pineapples/mangoes/avocadoes/guavas | $201.8 million | -10.3% |
| 116 | Pepper (dried/crushed/ground) | $198.9 million | -28.6% |
| 117 | Flat-rolled other alloy steel products | $197.4 million | -11.2% |
| 118 | Bombs, grenades, ammunition | $196.2 million | -38.9% |
| 119 | Electric ignition/start equipment | $195.8 million | +10.9% |
| 120 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $195 million | -9.5% |
| 121 | Precious metal waste, scrap | $190.5 million | +9.6% |
| 122 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $189.2 million | -27.4% |
| 123 | Sort/screen/washing machinery | $188.2 million | -1.5% |
| 124 | Unwrought tin | $187.7 million | +8.1% |
| 125 | Alloy steel bars, rods | $184.5 million | +29.6% |
| 126 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $181.6 million | -13.7% |
| 127 | Fuel wood, wood chips, sawdust | $181.5 million | +12.2% |
| 128 | Electric generating sets, converters | $179.3 million | +103.1% |
| 129 | Monument/building stone | $176.1 million | -0.9% |
| 130 | Coconuts, Brazil nuts, cashews | $176 million | +38.4% |
| 131 | Vulcanized rubber items | $173.5 million | +22.7% |
| 132 | Kaolin clays | $170.4 million | -6.3% |
| 133 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $166.3 million | +6.6% |
| 134 | Cold-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $164.9 million | -7.5% |
| 135 | Trailers | $163.1 million | +57.9% |
| 136 | Chocolate, other cocoa preparations | $160.2 million | +65.2% |
| 137 | Iron or steel scrap | $159.9 million | -13.3% |
| 138 | Insoles, heel cushions | $156.5 million | -16.5% |
| 139 | Fertilizer mixes | $155.3 million | +3.7% |
| 140 | Temperature-change machines | $154 million | +36.1% |
| 141 | Nitrile-function compounds | $152.2 million | +34.9% |
| 142 | Unsaturated acyclic mono acids | $150.3 million | -15.9% |
| 143 | Acyclic alcohols | $149.4 million | +42.2% |
| 144 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $149.3 million | -14.1% |
| 145 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $148.6 million | +29% |
| 146 | Pneumatic hand tool | $148.4 million | +8.2% |
| 147 | Precious/semi-precious stones (unstrung) | $148.1 million | +0.4% |
| 148 | Ball, roller bearings | $144.6 million | +8.9% |
| 149 | Lifting/loading machinery | $144.3 million | -13.5% |
| 150 | Refrigerators, freezers | $143.6 million | -9.8% |
| 151 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $143.5 million | -3.5% |
| 152 | Motorcycles | $141.8 million | -9.5% |
| 153 | Beryllium | $140 million | +23.7% |
| 154 | Hair preparations | $137.3 million | +11.8% |
| 155 | Interchangeable hand/machine tools | $135.2 million | -6.1% |
| 156 | Natural magnesium carbonate | $135.1 million | +21.7% |
| 157 | Computers, optical readers | $134.7 million | +47.7% |
| 158 | Synthetic rubber | $133.3 million | -36.7% |
| 159 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $133.2 million | -4.9% |
| 160 | Sugar confectionery (no cocoa) | $131.8 million | -5.9% |
| 161 | Soil machinery | $131.7 million | +1.6% |
| 162 | Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods | $131.6 million | +1% |
| 163 | Electric storage batteries | $131.4 million | -7.7% |
| 164 | Particle board, other ligneous materials | $129.8 million | +13.9% |
| 165 | Miscellaneous animal products | $128.8 million | +14% |
| 166 | Flat-rolled stainless steel items | $127.9 million | -27.7% |
| 167 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $126.4 million | +6.2% |
| 168 | Cocoa butter, fat, oil | $123.2 million | -29.8% |
| 169 | Footwear (textile) | $122.9 million | -8.7% |
| 170 | Orthopedic appliances | $121.5 million | -11.8% |
| 171 | Aluminum containers | $120.6 million | +48.7% |
| 172 | Machinery parts | $118.5 million | -8.7% |
| 173 | Electrical capacitators | $116.8 million | -10.6% |
| 174 | Paper containers, cellulose wadding | $114.6 million | +9.4% |
| 175 | Carboxylic acids | $114.3 million | +3.1% |
| 176 | Precious metal compounds | $114.2 million | +60.2% |
| 177 | Washers, strips, other friction items | $110.2 million | +3.2% |
| 178 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $108.9 million | -2% |
| 179 | Rosin/resin acids, run gums | $108.8 million | -8.6% |
| 180 | Stoppers, caps, lids | $108.6 million | +28.1% |
| 181 | Aluminum foil (thin) | $105.5 million | +26% |
| 182 | Metal sheeting joints, gaskets | $103.9 million | +113.9% |
| 183 | Vegetable saps, extracts | $102.7 million | -1.1% |
| 184 | Organic surface-active goods, soap | $101.7 million | -4.7% |
| 185 | Fresh or dried citrus fruit | $101.4 million | +4% |
| 186 | Sausages | $101.3 million | -5.6% |
| 187 | Unrecorded sound media | $100 million | -18.7% |
| 188 | Coated/laminated non-wovens | $99.1 million | -13.3% |
| 189 | Vegetable/bees/insect waxes | $98.8 million | -9.2% |
| 190 | Miscellaneous iron or steel tubes, pipes | $97.8 million | -19.1% |
| 191 | Glycerol (glycerine) | $97.8 million | +47.4% |
| 192 | Whole fish (frozen) | $96.9 million | +11.2% |
| 193 | Navigational aids including compasses | $96.1 million | +118.9% |
| 194 | Styrene polymers | $96.1 million | +5.5% |
| 195 | Natural honey | $95.4 million | -21.3% |
| 196 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $95 million | -2.6% |
| 197 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $95 million | +2.6% |
| 198 | Household/sanitary rolls | $94.9 million | +280.9% |
| 199 | Yeasts, prepared baking powders | $94 million | -4.2% |
| 200 | Iron or non-alloy steel angles, shapes, sections | $93.6 million | -11.5% |
These 200 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$222 billion or 92.6% by value for all international product sales originating from Brazil during 2018.
See also Brazil’s Top 10 Imports, Brazil’s Top Trade Partners, Top Brazilian Trade Balances and Brazil’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on January 21, 2019
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on June 28, 2019
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on January 21, 2019
The World Factbook, Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on January 21, 2019
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on January 21, 2019
Wikipedia, Brazil. Accessed on January 21, 2019
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on June 28, 2019
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Brazil. Accessed on January 21, 2019
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on June 28, 2019
Zepol’s company summary highlights by country. Accessed on January 21, 2019
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