RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Brazil is expected to post a record trade surplus of more than 90 billion U.S. dollars in 2026 despite new U.S. tariffs on Brazilian products, Vice President and Development, Industry, Trade and Services Minister Geraldo Alckmin said Thursday.
In an interview with Rede TV!, a Brazilian television network, Alckmin attributed the forecast to the opening of more than 600 new markets for Brazilian products and the diversification of the country's trade destinations.
He said Brazil is now less dependent on the U.S. market, citing market openings through the Southern Common Market, ongoing trade talks with Canada and Japan, and tariff arrangements with India and Mexico.
Brazil's trade surplus reached 57.2 billion dollars through the first week of September, up 36.7 percent from the same period in 2025.
The Development, Industry, Trade and Services Ministry projects a surplus of 90 billion dollars this year, with exports estimated at 394.4 billion dollars and imports at 304.4 billion dollars, despite the new U.S. tariffs.
In July, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative imposed a 25 percent surcharge on several Brazilian products after nearly a year of review. An additional 12.5 percent surcharge was later applied to more Brazilian goods.
From January to August, Brazilian exports to the United States fell 9.7 percent year on year to 24.1 billion dollars. In August, however, sales to the U.S. market rose 12.1 percent to 3.19 billion dollars. ■
