As economic activity picked up and world consumption rebounded, the pulp and paper industry ended the first five months of the year posting 45.7% growth of export revenues, according to the Brazilian Pulp and Paper Association (Bracelpa).
Traditional markets such as Europe and North America have been highlights for sales revenues as they regained their pre-crisis levels of demand. Brazil's trade surplus for the sector has reached US$ 2.1 billion up until May of this year.
Domestic pulp output for these five months rose 10.7% on the volume produced in the same period last year (5.3 million tons) to reach 5.8 million tons. Exports were 12.8% up on the same period of 2009.
Paper output reached 4.1 million tons in the first five months of this year, which was 8.2% more than the 3.7 million tons produced through May in 2009. From January through May, domestic sales of 2.1 million tons were up 11% on the 1.9 million tons sold in the same period of 2009.
source ATBCP