This paper investigates the relationship between alternative measures of real exchange rate and the exported quantum evolution for 13 Brazilian exporting sectors from 1985 to 1999. The descriptive and econometric analyses showed that a long-run relationship between the real exchange rate evolution and the exported quantum does not exist for most of the exporting sectors analyzed. Nonetheless, an adequate level of real exchange rate to maintain the profitability and/or the competitiveness of the exporting sectors is a necessary, though not sufficient condition for the expansion of exports over time.