Export of orange juice falls in March, but grows in first quarter

SAO PAULO-The Brazilian orange juice shipments reached 105,316 tons in March, according to the Bureau of foreign trade (Secex) compiled by the National Association of manufacturers of Citrus juices (CitrusBR), an organization that brings together Cutrale, Citrosuco and Citrovita/Louis Dreyfus Commodities, the biggest exporters of the commodity in the world. Over the same month of 2012, the volume was 11% lower. The Brazil exports the product or concentrate and frozen (FCOJ, the acronym in English) or ready to drink (NFC), and the volume is equivalent to the total sales converted in FCOJ.
Even with the March drop, there was growth in exports in the first quarter. The accumulated shipments reached 330,147 tons, 2.8% more than in the same period last year. In the 12 months ended in March, however, the data point to a decline of 6.6% in comparison with the ano-móvel terminated in March 2012, to 1.106 million tonnes — which, according to the industry, shows that international demand follows retracted, problem pressing international quotations and that affects the segment for at least a decade, mainly because of the proliferation of competing beverages such as ready-to-drink juices of other flavors.
The European Union remained as the main destination for Brazilian exports of orange juice in the first quarter of the year. Shipments to the block reached 214,648 last year, 2.3 percent less than between January and March of 2012. But the United States have recovered after the crisis caused by the barriers erected against the Brazilian product due to the presence of the fungicide carbendazim, forbidden in that market. Sales to the u.s. came to 70,571 tons, 186.4% more than in the first quarter of last year.
Exports to China, the country seen by industries as an important long-term alternative to offset sales retracted in traditional markets are still weak. Totaled 9,356 tons in the first three months of this year, 2.7% more than in same period in 2012.