Brazilian iron ore exports surged in September, rising for the first time this year from the year-ago level and hitting their highest monthly total for nearly five years.
Figures released on Friday by the Brazilian Ministry of industry and foreign trade showed iron ore shipments were up 18.5% from the same month in 2019
Exports totalled 37.86 million tonnes last month, compared with 31.94 million tonnes a year earlier.
This is the first increase year-on-year this year.
September’s volume was the biggest since December 2015, when Brazil exported a monthly record of 39.5 million tonnes.
Compared with August’s 31.3 million tonnes, iron ore exports were up 21% in September.
That was after July’s 34.1 million tonnes.
Last month’s retreat followed the 34.1 million tonnes shipped out in July, a new high since last October, while the August total – though the second highest so far this year – was 7.4% lower on year.
Despite the improvement in July and August, industry figures project that the country’s exports will slip this year to 310 million tonnes from 340 million tonnes exported in 2019.
