ESTIMATION OF INDIRECT IMPORTS OF THE BRAZILIAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY COMPLEX IN 2000’S

Abstract

This paper aims to estimate the indirect Brazilian imports of chemicals for the years 2000, 2005 and 2009. Data from national and international input-output matrices were used, in particular the coefficients of intermediate demand for chemical products of economic activities. Estimations like this are useful in order to better measure the size of the potential market for chemical commodities moved by the total Brazilian imports, not limited only to direct imports. This potential market corresponds to the sum of direct and indirect imports, the latter being related to the chemicals that are incorporated throughout the list of Brazilian imports. Both estimation show increasing values of indirect Brazilian imports of chemicals over the years and that obtained by international basis showed relatively lower values. This difference suggests lag of the Brazilian productive structure, particularly regarding to efficiency in use of chemical inputs. It was noticed also a significant decrease in the relative weight of Brazilian imports from the United States, especially in the first half of the decade, concomitantly to a significant increase in Chinese participation.