Brazilian pulp and paper exports climb 9.5% year-over-year in October to US$5.97B; pulp production through first 10 months of year up 7.4% year-over-year, paper production up 1.7%

Mathew Kearney

December 2, 2013 (press release) – Pulp and paper exports totaled US$ 5.97 billion until October, i.e., 9.5% higher than the accumulated result in the same period in 2012. As product imports registered a drop of 3.8%, the sector’s trade balance was US$ 4.38 billion, 15.3% higher than in the same months last year.

Pulp production from January to October grew by 7.4% in comparison with the same period in 2012, totaling a production of 12.44 million tons. Last year, the volume in the period was 11.59 million tons. Product exports also grew, having reached 7.85 million tons, i.e., 13.5% higher than the 6.92 million tons in the same months in 2012.

Pulp sales to China, which remains the second largest market for the Brazilian product, continue in high. Sales already total 1.28 billion, with an increase of 28.6% in the year’s accumulated result, while for Europe, our major market, revenues had a slight positive variation of 0.3% in the period with a total of US$ 1.77 billion.

With respect to paper, domestic production amounted to 8.67 million tons what represents a growth of 1.7% from January to October this year in comparison with the same period in 2012, when 8.53 million tons were produced. In the accumulated result, domestic paper sales also registered an increase of 2.7%, adding up to 4.70 million tons.

Immune Paper – The sector continues to fight the misuse of immune paper on www.papelimune.org.br, created Bracelpa, Afeigraf, Andipa and Abigraf to publicize the “Campanha de Conscientização” (Awareness Raising Campaign) against the improper usage of the product. Immune paper is exempt from taxes when used exclusively for the printing of books, newspapers and magazines. More than 40 companies associated to the entities mentioned above signed the Commitment Term, and reaffirmed the legal status of their operations with immune paper.

A measure establishing the labeling on immune paper packaging is already effective and, in January 2014, the “RECOPI Nacional” (Immune Paper Identification and Control System) will allow the National Treasury to follow the destination of immune papers sold in each State. Both measures will contribute to eradicate tax evasion that causes serious distortions in the Brazilian paper market.

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