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Brazil: Production, exports grew in first eight months of 2017

Oct. 3, 2017 – The results for exports and production from the planted tree sector are positive for the first eight months of 2017. In comparison with this same period last year, exports of pulp rose 4.9 per cent, wood panels 30.4 per cent, and paper 0.6 per cent. This performance led to growth in the production of pulp and paper, on the order of 3.6 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively. For wood panels, the good news is that the domestic market for this product is beginning to thaw, with sales 1 per cent higher than during the same period in 2016.

Export revenue
From January to August of 2017, revenue from exports reached US$5.5 billion (+9.6 per cent); of this total, US$4.1 billion (+12.4 per cent) came from sales of pulp abroad, US$1.2 billion (-0.3 per cent) came from paper sales, and US$191 million (+23.2 per cent) was the result of wood panels sales. As a result, the trade balance in the sector was positive, with a value of US$4.85 billion during the first eight months of the year (+11.4 per cent compared to 2016).
 
Export destinations
Latin American countries continued to be the main markets for paper and wood panels during the first eight months of the year, with export revenues of US$806 million (+11.2 per cent) and US$ 100 million (+20.5 per cent), respectively. China continues to be the main destination for pulp produced in Brazil, accounting for 40.2 per cent of these exports and revenues of US$1.6 billion (+22.0 per cent). The second largest destination for pulp is Europe, which during this period was responsible for 31.5 per cent of exports, corresponding to US$1.3 billion (+3.9 per cent).
 
Export volume
8.9 million tonnes of pulp were exported (+4.9 per cent), the paper segment traded 1.4 million tonnes (+0.6 per cent), and 840,000 m³ of wood panels were sold (+30.4 per cent) between January and August of this year.
 
Production
Brazilian pulp production reached 12.7 million tonnes (+3.6 per cent) and paper surpassed the 6.9 million tonne mark (+0.4 per cent).
 
Domestic sales
Between January and August of 2017, domestic sales of paper reached 3.5 million tonnes (-0.8 per cent), while the wooden panel sector registered internal sales of 4.2 million m³ (+1.0 per cent).
 
The Brazilian Tree Industry (Ibá) is the association responsible for institutionally representing the planted tree production chain, from the fields to the factory, with its main stakeholders.