Uruguayan exports increase by 28% in March 2022
In March 2021, Uruguay sold $18.4 million worth of cattle to China. This figure fell to zero in March 2022
Uruguay’s exports increased by 28% in March 2022 compared to the same month last year, according to the Uruguay XXI report published on Friday in Montevideo, which takes into account the figures of the free zones. Beef was once again the star product.
Sales of Uruguayan products abroad totaled $1,056 million, with China and the United States accounting for 75% of shipments last month. The two countries increased their purchases by US$5.3 and US$3.6 million, respectively.
The cumulative export figure throughout the first quarter of the year thus reached $2,896 million, it was reported.
Wheat came second only to beef, with an increase in both volume and price due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. The first quarter of 2022 ended with $160 million worth of wheat exported, a 120% improvement over the same quarter of 2021.
Rice was the third product with the highest incidence in March. Its sales increased by US$44 million and tripled year-on-year. In the first quarter of this year, rice sales increased by 86% compared to last year.
Behind Beef, Wheat and Rice came Cellulose, Soybeans and Vehicles, while Live Cattle, Malt and Wood had negative impacts on last month’s change.
In terms of products that saw a drop in sales, live cattle stand out. In March 2021, they closed at $18.4 million (entirely bought by China) and fell to zero in March 2022. Malt exports, which were $21.3 million in March of the year last, fell to $8 million. Brazil and Paraguay reduced their purchases by US$ 10.8 and US$ 2.7 million, respectively.
In terms of customers, sales to Uruguay’s main partners increased compared to March 2021, but purchases from the European Union decreased by 5.6%. There was an increase in exports to China (6%), Brazil (13.5%), the United States (20.1%) and Argentina (53%), Algeria (146, 2%) and Chile (80.4%).