(Adds comments from official)
BRASILIA, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Brazil posted its strongest
trade surplus for January in 17 years, according to data from
the Development, Industry, Trade and Services Ministry on
Wednesday, leveraged by increased exports.
The country's trade surplus reached $2.717 billion in
January from a deficit of $58.7 million in the same month last
year.
This was the best result for January since 2006's trade
surplus of $2.730 billion.
According to official data, exports rose 11.7% over January
2021, to $23.137 billion, a record for the month.
High sales of extractive industry goods boosted exports,
driven by crude oil, said the ministry.
Meanwhile, imports decreased 1.7% to $20.420 billion.
Brazil expects a higher trade surplus in 2023 on the back of
a drop in imports, while exports should remain at a similar
level from 2022, said the director of Foreign Trade Intelligence
and Statistics, Herlon Brandão.
Speaking at a news conference, he said imports should be
affected by reduced commodity prices amid an expected global
economic slowdown, which should mainly impact Brazilian fuel
purchases.
Brazil posted a
record
$62.3 billion trade surplus last year, affected by a sharp
increase in prices.
(Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Diane
Craft)
