Apexbrasil report points to oil, soy, iron ore and coffee as main exported items; transformation industry advances, while extractive sector retreats
Brazilian exports totaled US $ 77.3 billion in the first quarter of 2025, 0.5% lower than the same period of 2024, when they totaled US $ 77.7 billion. The data were released on Tuesday, 15, by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apexbrasil).
On the imports side, Brazil acquired US $ 67.3 billion in products in the period, which resulted in a commercial surplus of US $ 9.9 billion. Despite the positive balance, the result is lower than the one registered between January and March of the previous year, when the surplus reached $ 18.5 billion.
Among the main products exported by Brazil in the quarter are gross oil, soy, iron ore, green coffee and oil -derived fuels. These items continue to compose the base of the national export agenda, with strong participation in the primary sector.
Apexbrasil pointed out that the transformation industry was growth of 5.6% in the amount exported compared to the first quarter of 2024.
This performance was attributed to the increase in external sales of industrialized products, while the extractive industry had a retraction of 16.7%, a result attributed to the fall in international commodity prices. The agricultural sector, in turn, maintained stability, with an increase of 4.6% in the exported value.
In the cut by destination, China was again the main market for Brazilian products, with imports that totaled US $ 19.8 billion in the quarter. Then the European Union appears ($ 11.1 billion), the United States ($ 9.6 billion) and Mercosur ($ 5.8 billion).
Among the countries of the South American bloc, Argentina had the highest proportional growth in Brazil, up 51% in the quarter. The report did not specify the products responsible for this variation, but indicated a tendency to expand bilateral trade.
Apexbrasil also highlighted the expansion in the number of international markets open to Brazilian agricultural products. Since 2023, there were 345 new hits, 45 in the first trimester of 2025 alone.
The survey pointed out that these advances are the result of commercial negotiations conducted in articulation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
The report also reinforced the weight of basic products on the national export agenda and indicated that fluctuations in international commodity prices remain a determining factor in the trade balance.
The exported, although small exported value, especially reflected the decrease in iron ore revenue and derivatives, impacted by quotes from the global market.
Despite the fall in surplus compared to the same period of the previous year, ApexBrasil has classified the result as an indicative resilience in the midst of an international economic volatility scenario and changes in global supply chains.
In total accumulated between exports and imports, Brazilian foreign trade moved US $ 144.6 billion between January and March.
The composition of this flow, with less than 2024 surplus, shows changes in the country’s purchase and sale dynamics, especially the growth of industrial sectors and the continuity of the protagonism of agriculture in exports.
The coming months should be accompanied to evaluate the consolidation of recent commercial openings and the evolution of foreign sales, especially in view of the oscillation in the prices of the main commodities exported by Brazil and the behavior of demand in buying markets.
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/04/16/china-e-ue-foram-os-principais-destinos-das-exportacoes-brasileiras-no-1o-trimestre/
