São Paulo, March 1, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazil's exports to developing countries are growing faster than its sales to advanced economies. Brazil's share of imports from less developed countries is also greater than the world average. This is what is revealed in a study released last Friday (27) by the Institute of Industrial Development Studies (Iedi).

According to the study, between 2000 and October, 2003 (the last month analyzed by the Iedi) Brazilian exports grew 11% overall. Sales to developed countries rose 9%. For the poorer countries, despite the crisis in Argentina, which is one of the biggest markets for Brazilian products, the increase amounted to 13%. There was also a 17% expansion in transactions with countries classified by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as "transitional," basically, Eastern Europe, Central Europe, and Mongolia.

As a result, the participation of more advanced economies as markets for Brazilian exports fell from 61.5% to 58.2% during the period. At the same time, the share of developing and transitional countries went from 36.7% to 40.2%. (DAS)