Brasília, 2/20/2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazilian exports in 2004 should reach US$80 billion, says minister of Development, Luiz Fernando Furlan.

According to the minister, the situation looks good. Estimates are that mineral ore exports will total US$1 billion, soybeans US$3 billion and aircraft between US$1.5 billion and US$2 billion. Furlan says that in other sectors, such as steel, although there is expected to be strong domestic demand and a drop in exports, that could be compensated by exports of higher aggregated value. (AB)