Paraná records historic high in exports in January

With US$1,82 billion in revenue obtained from sales to the international market in January, Paraná recorded in 2024 the highest volume of exports in the first month of the year in history. The data comes from the Secretariat of Foreign Trade (Secex), linked to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services. The result is 29,2% higher than that achieved in January 2023, which had been the best mark in the historical series for the period, with US$ 1,41 billion.

The improvement in the performance of foreign trade in the State was mainly a reflection of exports of soybeans. Revenue from oilseed exports alone jumped from US$50,5 million to US$431,4 million in January this year, which represents a positive variation of 754%.

In the same comparison, there was also an 81% increase in soybean meal exports, which went from US$ 101 million to US$ 183 million in the space of one year, demonstrating the strength of the Pará harvest.

In proportional terms, the biggest increase was in the export of refined sugar, with an increase of 888%, rising from US$2,9 million in January 2023 to US$29,2 million in January 2024.

The list of products with the best performance on the international market is closed by oils and fuels, with US$ 18,5 million in the first 31 days of last year and US$ 30,8 million in the same period this year, an increase of 67% in revenues.

The results highlighted by Secex reaffirm the growth perspective already noted by Portos do Paraná, which is a great thermometer for Paraná exports.

In 2023, the public company that manages the ports of Paranaguá and Antonina broke a new record in total cargo movement, with 65,4 million tons. In exports alone, growth was 18% (36 million to 42,7 million tons between 2022 and 2023), driven precisely by soy and sugar.

The performance made Paraná one of the main exporting states in January, in 6th place, but practically tied with Mato Grosso (US$ 1,86 billion) and Pará (US$ 1,83 billion), which occupy the 4th and 5th position, respectively. The national ranking was led by São Paulo (US$5,24 billion), followed by Rio de Janeiro (US$3,93 billion) and Minas Gerais (US$3,09 billion).

In the analysis of the president of the Paraná Institute of Economic and Social Development (Ipardes), Jorge Callado, the results of exports in January, which tends to be the month with the lowest volume, indicate good prospects for Paraná's foreign trade in 2024. “Exports are an important vector of economic growth, since production is carried out internally, which generates more jobs and income for the State’s population”, he assesses.

Destinations 

China, which already represented the largest share of the consumer market for Paraná products in January 2023, with 11,3% of commercial transactions (US$ 159,5 million), increased its share by 191% in January 2024, which which represents 25,6% of the volume exported by Paraná in the last month (US$464,3 million).

The second largest market, the United States also increased purchases of state production, going from US$ 101,8 million to US$ 133,9 million, an increase of 7,4% in the comparison between the two months analyzed.

The biggest percentage growth, however, was in Thailand, with an increase of 226,7% (from US$24,2 million in January 2023 to US$79,1 million in January 2024), and Iran, with 6.117% positive variation (from US$ 1 million to US$ 59,3 million).

In total, goods and products from agribusiness and industries present in the 399 municipalities of Paraná landed in 164 countries in just the first month of 2024. In addition to the traditional European and Asian markets and the strong presence throughout America, Paraná also gained commercial partners unusual. This is the case, for example, of Mali, in West Africa, and the small archipelago of Palau, in Oceania.

Imports 

With a lower volume, imports also grew 19,9% ​​in Paraná in the comparison between January 2023 and 2024, going from US$ 1,38 to 1,65 billion, which meant that the State maintained a positive trade balance of US$ 158,7 million in this first month of the year. The main imported products are linked precisely to the expansion of agribusiness: fertilizers, with US$ 170 million, which represents 10,3% of all international purchases, and organic chemical products, with US$ 105 million (6,3, XNUMX%).