Brazil

U.S. tariff policies targets furniture industry

On August 22, U.S. President Trump announced that a tariff investigation on furniture coming into the United States was underway. Some analysts said that once the investigation is completed within the next 50 days, high tariffs may be imposed on furniture from other countries.

From January to June, Brazil’s exports of finished furniture and mattresses stood at US$374.2 million, up 6.8% compared to the same period in 2024, with North America being a major destination.

Brazil, China to launch maritime trade route

On Saturday (Aug. 30), Brazil and China will launch a trade route connecting the port of Santana, in Amapá, to the port of Zhuhai, in China. According to the Minister of Integration and Regional Development, Waldez Góes, the new route will reduce both costs and travel time for Brazilian products destined for the Asian market.

Brazilian real estate launches hit record high

Data from the Brazilian Chamber of Construction Industry (CBIC), shows that real estate launches in Brazil hit a record high in the first half of the year. Reaching 186,500 units, this figure represents a 6.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024 and marks the best performance since its survey began in 2006.

And according to a report by the Brazilian news outlet "g1globo," property sales during the same period rose by 9.6% year-on-year, totaling approximately 206,900 units with a transaction value of BRL 123 billion.

The data indicates that sales volume has remained stable over the past five consecutive quarters, with each quarter recording between 100,000 and 108,000 units sold.

Furthermore, the number of remaining units in ongoing projects—unsold inventory in the final sales stages—decreased by 4.1% year-on-year in the first half of the year, signaling a reduction in market inventory.

These figures suggest that current market demand continues to outpace supply. At the present sales rate, the existing inventory may be depleted within 8.2 months if no new projects were launched.

Mexico

Drones aid in reforestation in burned Michoacan forests

In Michoacan, drones are being used to disperse seeds and reforest hundreds of hectares of burned forest. In 2024, 1.6 million ha burned across the country, the highest number reported in more than 25 years, according to the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR).

The initiative to use drones to aid in reforestation efforts began with the dispersal of 200,000 pre-germinated tree seeds in areas affected by forest fires using drones. These actions are part of the state reforestation campaign 2025 Let’s Sow the Future, which has already reached 86% completion across a total of 14,300ha, reported Alfredo Ramírez, Michoacan’s Governor.

Authorities explained that the drones can carry up to 20kg of seeds to disperse them over the affected areas. The seeds are pre-germinated, meaning they already have roots, which will help them grow into new plants. This system mimics the natural dispersal process of species like pine trees, with the added advantage of technological precision. Manuel Gonzales, Head of Plantations at COFOM and drone operator, stated that a germination rate of at least 30% is expected.