The chocolates ' doesn't expect much ' of 2014

Chocolates and sweets industry isn't too excited about 2014. The year must be "practically the same thing" that 2013, says Getúlio Ursulino Netto, President of Associação Brasileira da Indústria de Chocolates, cocoa, peanuts, hard candies and derivatives (Abicab). According to him, the World Cup can heat up the economy and boost sales, but manufacturers "don't expect big deal" for the year.
In 2013, until October, there was a fall of 0.7% in the production of chocolates. Ursulino Netto avoids making projections, but says that performance in 2013 and the perspectives of the Brazilian economy for 2014 do not indicate that consumption will accelerate throughout the year.
"Now that we're feeling the crisis. The countries [importing Brazilian products] continued buying, but bought less. The international crisis is knocking on our door, "he says, referring to the candy industry export. In the first half of 2013 exports of bullets fell 10.4% in 2012.
"The industries manufacturers of bullets had a stable performance, with growth of 1.4% from January to October. This movement is positive and shows a sign of recovery, since in 2012 the sector had dropped, "says Ursulino Netto.
Production of chocolates skated. Between January and October 2013, the volume produced in the country fell 0.7% in comparison with 2012. Between 2007 and 2012, the industry had recorded average annual growth of 9.5%. And the peanut sector recorded fall in the first half of 2013, says the Executive, without detailing numbers.
Ursulino Netto assesses that the poor performance of the sectors of chocolates, hard candies and peanuts was "in line with the country's economic performance, which featured the same scenario in virtually all industry sectors".
Second Ursulino Netto, the main factor to the negative performance is "the current Brazilian and world economic scenario that is stagnant and industries have shriveled investments in production". (LC)