The Tiny Percentage of Brazilian Companies in Foreign Trade
This article discusses a recent study that examines the situation of exporting companies in Brazil. Despite representing only 0.88% of all companies, these exporters account for 15% of formal employment and show a clear regional and size concentration.
A detailed look at Brazilian foreign trade reveals a picture of growth, despite the marked disparities. According to a recent study, only 0.88% of companies in Brazil are involved in exporting, even though these companies represent a remarkable 15% of formal jobs in the country.
The study "Profile of Brazilian Exporting Companies", published by the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC), focuses on the 24,931 exporting companies in Brazil active in 2020. Despite their small number, these companies used to 5.2 million workers, which shows its significant influence on formal employment.
Exporting companies tend to be concentrated in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil, with a whopping 42.8% of them located in the state of São Paulo in 2020. Furthermore, there is a notable disparity between the number of exporting companies and the proportion of exporters. exports made by each state.
However, the expansion of the export sector faces significant obstacles, including regional inequalities and a bias towards larger companies. The study also discovered that only 1% of the companies have the possibility of selling abroad in the first ten years of operation.
Regarding export destinations, although China and the United States predominate in Brazilian foreign trade, Mercosur and other Latin American countries continue to be essential, hosting 61% of Brazilian exporters in 2020.
The findings of this study underscore the need for effective public policies to expand the number of exporting firms and to extend the benefits of exports to the regions
