People from Pernambuco dancing frevo with umbrellas, dancers parading in the sambadromes with costumes made of feathers and revelers wearing angel wings in the small blocks around the country, and to get to the Brazilian Carnival, these items probably made a long journey from China by sea.

China is the main source of imports for Brazilian Carnival and other festivities, and in 2024, purchases from there reached a record in import volume over the past decade, according to a BBC News Brasil research based on open data from the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services (MDIC).

Moreover, it’s worth noting that, considering the entire foreign trade, China is Brazil’s main trading partner, both in imports and exports.

Carnival imports usually occur in the year before the festivities, so the high volume of purchases made last year will likely be reflected on the streets this year.

(Source: BBC News Brasil, on February 25)