São Paulo – Brazil’s Ramax trading company is in talks to sell beef to Syria as a result of contacts made at the Damascus International Fair, which began last Thursday (6) and will continue until Saturday (15) in Syria’s capital Damascus. Ramax, which specializes in animal protein, is exhibiting out of a stand organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Brazil in Damascus.
Ramax partner Rada Saleh (pictured above), who’s in charge of Middle East and North Africa sales, said he agreed to ship out a batch of samples of the meat cuts the company sells across the region.
“We will ship out the product so this Syrian importer can ascertain the quality of our meat and then apply for the import licenses so that buffalo meat from India gets replaced with Brazilian beef supplied by Ramax,” Saleh said.
He said Syrians import buffalo meat from India “because it’s cheaper,” but Brazilian beef is “far superior, quality-wise.” Brazilian beef yields a much stronger perception of value from Syrian consumers compared to other meats,” he said.
If the deal goes through, Saleh said the Syrian importer plans to start by buying two shipping containers’ worth of product per month. “It should be something like BRL 1.2 million (USD 300,000) per month,” he said. “We have shipped up to 12 containers’ in one month before the war. We are familiar with the Market and we believe in its potential,” said he, who boasts a lengthy track record in exporting meat from Brazil.
An annually held, multi-industry show, the Damascus International Fair resumed in 2017 after a five-year hiatus brought about by the conflict in the country. “Next year I’m considering having my own stand, in addition to joining the Arab Chamber,” said Saleh, who recently moved from Brazil to Lebanon to work on sales in the region.
Demand
Arab Chamber CEO Michel Alaby attended the show’s opening and its first three days. The Chamber was also at the event last year.
According to Alaby, during those three days, the Brazilian stand got over 110 inquiries. Besides beef, people were looking for coffee, sugar, tools, building material, agricultural machinery and medical, dental and hospital equipment.
Quick facts
Ramax Group
Rada Saleh
WhatsApp: +55 11 9 9402-8836
Phone (Lebanon): +961 7931-7395
Email: rada@ramax-group.com
Website: https://ramax-group.com/
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
