Below is a list showcasing 15 of Brazil’s top trading partners in terms of export sales, countries that imported the most Brazilian shipments by dollar value during 2017. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total Brazilian exports.

1. China: US$47.5 billion (21.8% of total Brazilian exports)
2. United States: $27 billion (12.4%)
3. Argentina: $17.6 billion (8.1%)
4. Netherlands: $9.3 billion (4.2%)
5. Japan: $5.3 billion (2.4%)
6. Chile: $5 billion (2.3%)
7. Germany: $4.9 billion (2.3%)
8. India: $4.7 billion (2.1%)
9. Mexico: $4.5 billion (2.1%)
10. Spain: $3.8 billion (1.8%)
11. Italy: $3.6 billion (1.6%)
12. Belgium: $3.2 billion (1.5%)
13. South Korea: $3.1 billion (1.4%)
14. United Kingdom: $2.8 billion (1.3%)
15. Russia: $2.7 billion (1.3%)

Almost two-thirds (66.6%) of Brazilian exports in 2017 were delivered to the above 15 trade partners.

Fastest-growing among Brazil’s top import customers was India via its 47.3% improvement since 2016. India was followed by Spain (up 46%), China (up 35.2%) and Argentina (up 31.3%).

Cutting back on year-over-year import purchases from Brazil were the Netherlands (down -10.4%), Belgium (down -1.8%) and the United Kingdom (down -0.9%).

As defined by Investopedia, a country whose total value of all imported goods is higher than its value of all exports is said to have a negative trade balance or deficit.

It would be unrealistic for any exporting nation to expect across-the-board positive trade balances with all its importing partners. Similarly, that export country doesn’t necessarily post a negative trade balance with each individual partner with which it exchanges exports and imports.

In 2017, Brazil incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries:

1. Germany: -US$4.3 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2017)
2. South Korea: -$2.2 billion
3. France: -$1.5 billion
4. Switzerland: -$1.2 billion
5. Algeria: -$1.1 billion
6. Australia: -$898.6 million
7. Austria: -$775.1 million
8. Sweden: -$623.4 million
9. Belarus: -$530.7 million
10. Vietnam: -$453.4 million

Among Brazil’s trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, Brazilian deficits with Switzerland (up 385%), Australia (up 119.3%), Algeria (up 102.2%) and Sweden (up 36.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2010 to 2017.

Brazil’s trade with Vietnam went from a $51.3 million in black ink for 2010 to a -$453.4 million country-specific deficit in 2017.

These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Brazil’s competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Brazil to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.

Based on Investopedia’s definition of net importer, a country whose total value of all imported goods is lower than its value of all exports is said to have a positive trade balance or surplus.

In 2017, Brazil incurred the highest trade surpluses with the following countries:

1. China: US$20.2 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2017)
2. Argentina: $8.2 billion
3. Netherlands: $7.4 billion
4. Iran: $2.5 billion
5. United Arab Emirates: $2.3 billion
6. Egypt: $2.3 billion
7. Hong Kong: $2.1 billion
8. Singapore: $2.1 billion
9. United States: $2 billion
10. India: $1.7 billion

Among Brazil’s trading partners that generate the greatest positive trade balances, Brazilian surpluses with Argentina (up 88.9%), China (up 71.3%), Egypt (up 34.9%) and the United Arab Emirates (up 24.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.

Over that same timespan, Brazilian trade with India went from a -$3.2 billion deficit to a $1.7 billion surplus. Even more dramatic was Brazil’s trade balance shift with the United States from -$11.4 billion in red ink to a $2 billion surplus for 2017.

These positive cashflow streams clearly indicate Brazil’s competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Brazil to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.

Companies Servicing Brazilian Trading Partners

Twenty-five Brazilian corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000 for 2015. Below is a sample of the major Brazilian companies that Forbes included:

• Petrobras (oil, gas)
• Vale (iron, steel)
• JBS (food processing)
• BRF-Brasil Foods (food processing)
• Itaúsa (industrials conglomerate)
• Braskem (specialized chemicals)
• Metalurgica Gerdau (iron, steel)
• CSN (iron, steel)
• Cosan (food processing)
• Embraer (aerospace)
• WEG (electrical equipment)

According to IMPORTERS.com listings for Brazilian suppliers, the following are examples of companies that ship products from Brazil to its trading partners around the globe. Shown within parenthesis are products that the Brazilian business provides.

• Alfa International (manganese ore)
• Almeida Junior Com Intl Ltda (pig iron)
• CSS Exports & Imports (beer)
• Dwd Export Ltda (slippers, flip-flops)
• Eric Phones Store (mobile phones)
• Industrias Colin SA (polyester, cotton, fiberglass)
• JS Electronics (computers, digital cameras)
• Kalam Diamond (raw diamonds)
• Kesco Ltda (rice, chicken, beef)
• MMS 2000 Import & Export Ltda (cane sugar, soyabeans)