Carolina Pimentel
Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília - Yesterday president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva commemorated the news that cumulative Brazilian exports for the year passed US$112 billion in September. In January, US$112 billion was announced as the government's target for the whole year. "Looks like we are going to reach US$120 billion," said Lula.

The Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, which runs the export sector, is slighly less optimistic. Minister Luiz Fernando Furlan says he will be pleased with a final total of US$116 billion for this year. Furlan said that the government is getting close to achieving its goal of doubling Brazilian exports during the first term of the Lula administration (exports in 2002 totalled US$60 billion). "I think we will reach US$120 billion long before the end of 2006," said Furlan.

Translator: Allen Bennett