Juiz de Fora – Algeria is interested in technology transfer from Brazil in the areas of processing and quality control of dairy. The statement is by Mohamed Chafik Kellala, first secretary of the Algerian embassy in Brasilia, who visited the headquarters of the dairy cattle unit of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), on Wednesday (17), in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais.
"Embrapa uses modern technology and Algeria needs to modernize its industry. There is already an agreement between Embrapa and Algeria’s National Institute for Agricultural Research , signed in 2010, and we need to dignify this agreement, "said the diplomat.
Founded in 1976, Embrapa Dairy Cattle has 15 laboratories and two experimental farms. Since 2010, the company has invested R$ 14 million (US$ 6.2 million) in projects to improve dairy production in Brazil and plans to invest over US$ 2 million by next year.
In late 2012, Algeria launched its Annual Agricultural Renewal Programme, which forecasts that, by 2014, the country should have 1.2 million dairy cows. To reach this figure, the Algerians want to invest in the import of live cattle.
"We will buy many cows in future. We need partnerships with Brazilian companies to process, package and all else related to milk. We want a win-win partnership with Brazil," said Kellala.
He said that another important issue for Algeria is cooperation in the area of training in quality control. "We can make partnerships, for example, between Brazilian and Algerian laboratories in the search for the quality control of milk," he added.
Currently, Embrapa receives 40,000 milk samples a month, from some 400 producer associations supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply. All samples undergo tests for detection of bacteria and other organisms that may affect product quality.
Mission to Algeria
Kellala’s visit to Embrapa, alongside other food importers, was one of the actions of the Dairy Export Sector Project (PS-Lácteos), conducted jointly by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) and the Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives (OCB) with support of the Ministry of Agrarian Development. This week’s program ends on Thursday (18) and has as its main focus the Minas Láctea fair, taking place this week in Juiz de Fora.
According to Gustavo Beduschi, OCB analyst and project manager, says that companies participating in the PS-Lácteos have defined promotion of a mission to Algeria in November this year. Brazil was one of the main powdered milk suppliers to the country in North Africa, but exports of the product have fallen in recent years.
To give an idea, the Algerians did not import Brazilian dairy in the first half of 2013, according to the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade .In the same period in 2008, when industry shipments to the region began to fall, total sales were nearly US$ 14 million. The best year for this trade was in 2007, when exports from Brazil to the Algerian market were close to US$ 55 million.
"We want to hire a company there, with expertise in market research and visitation to Algerian companies, to know what they want, what they sell and what market opportunities we have in the market," explained Beduschi.
Project participants also decided to participate in the next edition of Gulfood, the largest food fair in the Middle East, held annually in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. "The group expressed interest in being present in the Gulfood 2014 stand. Let’s see if there is still space to have a dairy stand, "said the executive. If establishment of their space at the show is not possible, companies should organize a trade mission to the event.
During the Minas Láctea, some of the project participants were able to present their products to Ismeer Shalaldeh, production manager at Barakat International group, from Dubai, and analyse opportunities for exports to Arab countries.
"They (company representatives) are seeing very good business opportunities. They told me they are seeing good opportunities for both the Middle East and for Latin America. They were very satisfied with this first action of the project," said Beduschi. Created in late 2012, the PS-Lácteos hopes to increase the sector’s exports by 30% by 2014.
*The journalist travelled at the invitation of PS-Lácteos. Translated by Mark Ament
