São Paulo – This year, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce is going to diversify its fair calendar, to include three new sector events in the Arab world. In April comes Djazagro, in the agriculture and food sector, in Algeria, and Health Care, of medical and hospital products, in Syria. In October, it is the turn of Mactech, of machinery and equipment, in Egypt.
The organisation, which has the support of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, plans to take eight companies to each fair. The stands should cover around 100 square metres. “As they are sector fairs, the perspectives for closing deals are concrete,” stated the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Michel Alaby.
The first fair in the calendar will be in Algeria, where there is great demand for food products. According to figures on the Djazagro fair site, the country is among the ten main importers of cereal, powdered milk, oil, sugar and coffee.
The food sector represents 47% of family expenses and 25% of the total imported by the country. In the dairy sector, for example, Algeria is in third place in the global ranking of imports of milk and dairy products.
Apart from great consumption of milk, the country is also a main buyer of biscuits, with consumption of 2 to 3 kilograms a year per person, and soft drinks, with 47 litres per year per person.
Algeria is the main producer of drinks in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia). The soft drink industry generates the largest volume of sales (32%) in terms of market share, although in terms of volume it is equal to the bottled water, beer, fruit juice and wine sectors.
Djazagro, to take place between April 12th and 15th, in Algiers, brings together exhibitors not just of foods and beverages, but also of equipment and products for the food, catering, restaurant and packaging industries. For this edition, the organizers expect 400 exhibitors and 10,000 visitors. Last year, there were 319 exhibitors from 19 countries, like France, Egypt, Turkey, China, Germany and the United Arab Emirates, among others.
The fair from Syria, Health Care, is one of the main events in the medical sector industry in the country. From April 15th to 18th, the fair should receive over 125 exhibitors in 40 countries. Among the sectors explored at the fair are disposable products, medical and surgical equipment, pharmaceutical products and software.
According to Alaby, the Syrian market for medical and hospital products is one of the priorities to be worked by Brazilian industry. “There are great business possibilities,” he said.
In Egypt, Mactech, in the industrial and agricultural machinery and equipment sector, should take place between October 22nd and 25th. Last year, the exhibition received 750 exhibitors from 44 countries. According to Alaby, Brazil has significant competitiveness in the sector of agricultural equipment and technology and is well accepted in the Arab world. “The export basket to these three countries (Algeria, Syria and Egypt) is greatly concentrated in food. We must diversity,” added the secretary general.
Further information
Foreign Trade Department
Tel. (+55 11) 3283-4066
*Translated by Mark Ament
