In October, exports reached the record figure of $9.64 billion for the month, which corresponded to an increase of 11.8 per cent over the same month of 2011. Information provided by the Secretariat of Agribusiness International Relations, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), data from the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC).

The main export sector of the month was the sugarcane, with shipments of $2.34 billion. The amount of sugar exported increased from 2.51 million tonnes in October 2011 to 3.93 in the same month this year - a rise of 56.5 per cent.

Cumulatively, through the first ten months of the year, the main sector in terms of export value was the soy complex, with $24.65 billion, representing growth of 15.1 perc per cent compared to the same period of 2011.

The sector was the largest contributor to the expansion of US $1.40 billion of agribusiness exports, as it increased $3.23 billion compared to January and October 2011.

Then in the year, the meat stand out with foreign sales and totaled $12.98 billion. For the period January to October 2011, the value remained stable (0.1 per cent) due to the increase in volume shipped (+4.7 per cent).

The chicken meat was the product that stood out in this sector, with $5.92 billion (3.12 million tonnes). Exports of beef, meanwhile, totaled $4.75 billion in the period, or 1.02 million tons, while pork reached US $1.25 billion (485 750 tonnes).

Brazil's main cereal product, maize, reached US $3.44 billion or 13.07 million tons, exceeding the annual record that had been achieved in 2007 (10.91 million tonnes).

According to the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Mendes Ribeiro Filho, corn exports should be around 20 million tonnes at the end of 2012. "However, even if the country exports that amount of corn harvest in 2012 was a record of 72.7 million tons. Inventories of passage should be around 8 million tonnes, surpassing the 5.9 million tons of ending stocks obtained in 2011, "he said.

Sales to the EU reached US $18.73 billion between January and October of 2012, accounting for 23.2 per cent of Brazilian exports of agribusiness products. Among countries, China remains the main destination of these products, buying $16.99 billion. Then comes the United States (US $5.62 billion), the Netherlands (US $4.88 billion) and Japan ($2.62 billion).

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