São Paulo – Brazilian agribusiness exports to Arab countries grossed nearly US$ 820 million in May, up 24.4% from May 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply. The sector drove overall exports from Brazil to the region in May, which reached US$ 1.1 billion, up 12.4% from May of last year.
The agribusiness export performance confirms the assessment of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce CEO Michel Alaby, to whom May figures reflect the building of inventories for Ramadan in Arab countries, which began this Thursday (18th).
During this period, Muslims fast from sunup to sundown, but often get together to feast at night, hence the need to stockpile food.
The main items shipped were poultry and beef, followed by sugar, soy bean, bran and oil, forest products (wood, pulp and paper), coffee, livestock, tobacco, peanuts, fruit, leather goods, rice, dairy, assorted vegetable oils and juices. Exports increased for nearly all these goods, except livestock, poultry and dairy.
The leading buyers were Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Tunisia. Sales increased to all these countries, especially Tunisia, whose imports increased more than twelvefold from May 2014.
Year-to-date through May, however, revenues from agribusiness exports to Arab countries were down 8.15% from the comparable period in 2014, to less than US$ 3.3 billion.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
