RIO DE JANEIRO, April 2 (Reuters) - Brazil's main port of
Santos moved a record 6.17 million tonnes of cargo in February,
up 17.5 percent from the previous February record of 5.25
million tonnes in 2006, Port Authority Codesp said on Monday.
Imports, aided by a strong real against the dollar, were
the main driver, jumping 41.3 percent to 2.37 million tonnes.
Exports rose 6.4 percent to 3.80 million tonnes.
Sugar exports, the biggest farm commodity moving through
the port by volume, soared 117.8 percent to 1.77 million tonnes
in February, and cane-based ethanol shipments rose 77 percent
to 150,187 tonnes. Brazil is the world's largest producer and
exporter of sugar and the top ethanol exporter.
Coffee shipments rose 88 percent to 137,399 tonnes.
Meat exports soared 191 percent to 137,581 tonnes as
countries picked up imports after banning Brazilian beef after
a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
Orange juice exports rose jumped 105 percent to 310,655
tonnes.
Soybean exports were up 48 percent at 363,100 tonnes in
February. Including soymeal, soy exports rose 58 percent to
497,744 tonnes. Santos is the country's No.1 soybean port.
Regarding imports, wheat shipments jumped 51 percent to
183,705 tonnes in February. Coal remained the biggest import at
347,710 tonnes, up 30 percent from February 2006.
Fertilizer imports rocketed to 343,562 tonnes, up 385.5
percent from a year ago.
Container shipments rose 14 percent to 130,856 units.
Santos port handled $9.6 billion of trade, or 26.2 percent
of Brazil's total in February. It expects to move a record 79
million tonnes of freight in 2007, versus 76.3 million in
2006.
The United States, Germany and China were the leading
origins of imports into Santos, accounting for 43 percent of
total shipments.
The United States, Netherlands and Iran were the top export
destinations, taking 28 percent of Brazilian shipments.
