São Paulo – The Brazilian embassy in Riyadh has not received, as of today (25th), any official notice whatsoever from the Saudi government concerning an alleged request of local farmers for suspension of Brazilian chicken imports. Last Sunday, the Al Yaum newspaper, based in the province of Dammam, published an article claiming that Saudi farmers have called on the country’s government to suspend imports from Brazil and other countries, based on allegations of dumping practices.
The Brazilian ambassador to Riyadh, Sérgio Luiz Canaes, told ANBA, by telephone, that he has not received any official warning about the request, neither from the government nor from private organisations. He added that the embassy is constantly in touch with the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture, because it is organizing a visit of Brazilian authorities in the chicken industry to the Arab country, and another of Saudi ministry representatives to Brazil.
“We have been exchanging information with their Ministry of Agriculture and, if there were dumping charges, we would have known about them,” stated Canaes. The only piece of information that arrived at the embassy, according to him, was the one disclosed by the Dammam-based newspaper, which claims that the request was made by a group of more than 300 local chicken farmers.
Dumping takes place when a given product is sold in the foreign market for a higher price than in the domestic market of the supplying country. According to Canaes, there have been recurring complaints by Saudi farmers. “The Brazilian product is very competitive, you go to the supermarket and brands such as Sadia and Perdigão abound. They are much appreciated,” said the diplomat. “That is why the complaints are recurrent,” he added.
In that respect, the ambassador explained that the influence of such a request by the farmers on the government is a relative one, because despite previous complaints, there was no embargo on Brazilian chicken imports.
Saudi Arabia is the leading destination for Brazilian chicken. According to information supplied by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, shipments of raw chicken meat to the Arab country generated revenues of US$ 390 million from January to July, a reduction of 1.86% in comparison with the same period last year. In terms of volume, however, exports grew 30.84% and totalled 277,000 tonnes.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum