International trade closed 2021 on a high in Santa Catarina. With US$ 10.29 billion in exports and US$ 24.92 billion in imports, the state recorded growth and reached the highest values of the historical series in both types of international trade operations. In relation to 2020, exports increased 26.6% and imports rose 54.9%. The data are from the Ministry of Economy

“The growth of the Santa Catarina presence abroad shows the dynamism of our economy, the strength of agribusiness and the vocation of Santa Catarina for the international Trade. In what concerns the State Government, we work to improve even more the competitiveness for those who produce here”, evaluates the governor Carlos Moisés.

The Secretary of State for Sustainable Economic Development, Luciano Buligon, attributes the growth to the overcoming capacity of the productive sector of Santa Catarina. “Much of this result is due to the great performance of agribusiness, but also to the other economic segments that, even in the difficult year of 2021, found ways to maintain employment and strengthen the economy. It is a further demonstration that Santa Catarina, in 2021, knew how to maintain the balance between taking care of health and also the economy”, highlights Buligon.

Agribusiness occupied the first three places in the main products exported by Santa Catarina, with poultry meat (US$ 1.59 billion, mainly to Asia and the Middle East), pork (US$ 1.32 billion, mostly to China) and soybeans (US$ 669.9 million, mainly to China) leading the ranking. Next come engines and generators (US$ 483.6 million, mainly to the United States and Germany) and combustion engine parts (US$ 425.2 million, mostly to the United States, Mexico and the United Kingdom).

With a growth of almost 44%, the United States became once again the main destination for Santa Catarina’s exports, passing China. The market has expanded. Santa Catarina exported to 208 countries in 2021, of which 25 imported at least US$ 100 million in Santa Catarina goods. In the previous year, 18 countries had reached this volume in imports from Santa Catarina.

“Once again, the Santa Catarina agribusiness overcomes the difficulties and shows itself to be the great strength of the Santa Catarina economy. We are responsible for a large part of Santa Catarina’s exports and we continue to expand our presence in the most demanding and competitive markets in the world. This is the result of a great joint effort between the State Government and all the links in the productive sector,” says the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, Altair Silva.

The list of products imported by Santa Catarina is quite diversified. In 2021, raw materials and inputs for industry took the lead, especially copper (US$ 1.37 billion, mostly from Chile), iron or steel sheets and plates (US$ 657.7 million, mainly from China), polyethylene (US$ 571.7 million, mainly from the United States and Argentina) and fertilizers (US$ 567.9 million, mostly from Oman).

China remains Santa Catarina’s main supplier market, with US$ 9.36 billion, an increase of 54.4% compared to 2019, but other countries had an even sharper growth in exports that had Santa Catarina as a destination. Chile, second on the list, grew by 68% and supplied US$ 2 billion in goods to the state, in what was the first time a country other than China surpassed this mark.

In the assessment of the Executive Secretary of International Affairs, Fernando Raupp, this increase in imports is a reflection of the growth of Santa Catarina’s industry, which imports inputs to, after processing, generate more wealth both in sales to the domestic market and exports. “The Government of Santa Catarina has a large share of responsibility in this, as it works together with private initiative to build the solutions that the sector needs,” said Raupp.

Text: Renan Medeiros/ Secom

Photos: Gustavo Camargo/SCPar/Porto de São Francisco do Sul