The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Brazilian global shipments during 2017. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Brazil.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, Brazil’s most valuable exported product are soya beans followed by iron ores and concentrates, sugar, crude oil then poultry meat.

1. Oil seeds: US$26 billion (11.9% of total exports)
2. Ores, slag, ash: $22.4 billion (10.3%)
3. Mineral fuels including oil: $18.7 billion (8.6%)
4. Vehicles : $14.7 billion (6.8%)
5. Meat: $14 billion (6.4%)
6. Machinery including computers: $13.8 billion (6.4%)
7. Sugar, sugar confectionery: $11.6 billion (5.3%)
8. Iron, steel: $10.8 billion (4.9%)
9. Woodpulp: $6.4 billion (2.9%)
10. Food industry waste, animal fodder: $5.4 billion (2.5%)

Brazil’s top 10 exports accounted for about two-thirds (66%) of the overall value of its global shipments.

Mineral fuels including oil was the fastest-growing export category via a 61.7% increase over 2016, followed by ores, slag and ash’s 41.6% gain.

In third place were Brazilian exports of oil seeds which posted a 36.4% boost in value year over year. Close behind were Brazilian shipments of iron and steel (up 36.4%) and vehicles (up 34.2%).

There was one decline among Brazil’s top 10 export categories, specifically a -2.6% drop for food industry waste and animal fodder.

Overall, Brazil achieved a $67 billion trade surplus during 2017 up by 40.5% from its positive trade balance in 2016.

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 is 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.

1. Oil seeds: US$25.7 billion (Up by 33.6% since 2016)
2. Ores, slag, ash: $21.2 billion (Up by 42.4%)
3. Meat: $13.6 billion (Up by 10.3%)
4. Sugar, sugar confectionery: $11.5 billion (Up by 9.2%)
5. Iron, steel: $8.8 billion (Up by 35.4%)
6. Woodpulp: $6.2 billion (Up by 16.6%)
7. Food industry waste, animal fodder: $5.1 billion (Down by -3.1%)
8. Coffee, tea, spices: $4.9 billion (Down by -4.8%)
9. Vehicles : $3.5 billion (Up by 243.5%)
10. Cereals: $3.1 billion (Up by 74.4%)

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.

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.

1. Electrical machinery, equipment: -US$17.3 billion (Up by 26.2% since 2016)
2. Fertilizers: -$7.1 billion (Up by 22.9%)
3. Organic chemicals: -$6.1 billion (Down by -6.2%)
4. Pharmaceuticals: -$5.3 billion (Up by 2.3%)
5. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$3.9 billion (Up by 0.7%)
6. Machinery including computers: -$3.6 billion (Down by -62.5%)
7. Other chemical goods: -$3.2 billion (Up by 6.6%)
8. Plastics, plastic articles: -$2.9 billion (Up by 19.2%)
9. Mineral fuels including oil: -$2.8 billion (Down by -20.6%)
10. Rubber, rubber articles: -$1.3 billion (Up by 47.3%)

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.

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)