Uruguayan exports increased by 5.34% in January over the same period last year, according to the Union of Exporters in Uruguay. Brazil was the main destination of Uruguayan placements, with 27.4% of total foreign sales, while beef remained the major export product.

At the end of the first month of the year, foreign sales totaled US$ 420 million, representing a rise of 5.5% compared to US$ 398 million in January 2009.

Zona Franca of Fray Bentos stood at second place in local placements abroad in January totaling $ 33 million, representing growth of 76.4% compared to the $ 18 million for the corresponding month of 2009. In this compound, works UPM-ex-Botnia, which gets heavily on timber exports for the production of cellulose.

The following most important destinations were Argentina, with sales of $ 26 million, the Russian Federation (US$ 21 million), China (US$ 16 million), the Zona Franca of Nueva Palmira (US$ 14 million) and Italy and Germany (US$ 12 million each). However, the Zona Franca of Nueva Palmira, the U.S. and Canada were the most decreased level of purchase, dropping about 30% over last January.

The main product exported in January was the frozen beef that had sales of $ 69 million, 5.8% lower than the same month last year, and with a weight of 23.17% of the total sold abroad. Secondly, cereals, with 15.08%, and third wood and coal, with 10.01% of the total.

(www.observa.com.uy, and www.180.com.uy www.monteideo.com.uy, 2 February 2010)