São Paulo – At least one Tunisian company should sign a partnership at Expodireto Cotrijal, an agricultural fair up to Friday (8) in the city of Não Me Toque, in Rio Grande do Sul. Representatives of the Tunisian Sopat are visiting the fair seeking Brazilian producers of chicken who can help increase the country’s production. Loukil group, in turn, wants agricultural machinery and grain. At the event there is also a representative from Federal Foods, a company in the Emirates that is controlled by Brasil Foods (BRF).
The Sopat partnership manager, Khaled Smach, stated that talks are already at an “advanced” level with a Brazilian company that may help in production. “We want to obtain synergies in production, distribution and to create infrastructure for growth in North Africa,” said Smach. Sopat exports to Libya and Algeria and aims to increase sales in these countries.
“We have revenues of US$ 45 million a year and want to reach US$ 75 million in coming years in a market that we estimate at US$ 253 million,” said Smach. He stated that the institution wants a Brazilian partner as the country has large companies and is competitive in the sector. Smach also said that Brazil is a new world power with which Tunisia maintains good relations.
Also visiting Expodireto Cotrijal is the technical director at Loukil, from Tunisia, Kamel Jebali. Loukil is a holding with over 20 companies that brings together business in sectors like vehicles, telecommunications and agriculture. “We want to import machinery for distribution in the region. However, the truth is that your machinery is more expensive than that of other countries due to tax,” he said.
Jebali added that the company has been visiting fairs in Germany, France, Italy and, for the first time, Brazil, seeking suppliers of seeding machinery and fertilizers. “We currently buy machinery from Turkey and Italy at lower prices,” he said.
According to the business executive at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Nadia Abdallah, who is accompanying the businessmen, they have already participated in business roundtables with producers of rice and, on Tuesday, should meet with exporters of dairy and meats. The executives at Loukil also met with representatives of Cotrijal, the cooperative that organizes the fair, to negotiate the import of soy grain and maize. Apart from the fair, the Arabs visited agricultural machinery factory Grazmec on Tuesday (5), and implement producer Stara, on Wednesday (6).
*Translated by Mark Ament
