The region is the greatest international consumer of the Brazilian product, which started being sold to Iraq once again this year, for the first time since the beginning of the UN embargo.
Author: Alexandre Rocha
Brazilian export to the Gulf country had a 39% increase when compared to the same period last year, informed the Agriculture Ministry. The accumulated result for the year (January to October) is US$ 221.7 million, while in 2002 the volume was US$ 181.4 million.
According to Juan Quirós, president of Apex, investment may be made in the tourism and productive sectors. Paulo Atallah, president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, said that the country may explore niches in the Arab world that were previously occupied by the North Americans.
The ceremony is scheduled for Monday, November 10, at hotel Unique, in São Paulo, Brazil, and should count on the presence of development, industry, and foreign trade minister Luiz Fernando Furlan, the presidents of Apex, Juan Quirós, and of the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Paulo Atallah, and the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates. Around 250 businessmen are expected.
Hazem Omar, of trading company Otco Sugar, states that this middle term project is of relatively low cost and high return. Egypt is the second largest Brazilian sugar buyer, losing only to Russia.
On a trip to the Gulf countries, representatives from the local Agriculture and Livestock Federation were surprised by the amount of products that the Arabs are interested in purchasing.
Product shipping is in its final states. In total, the cooperative from the southeastern state of Minas Gerais will supply 2,300 tons of powdered milk to the United Nations World Food Programme, in a US$ 5 million deal.
Beef trade has been made possible after a sanitary agreement between the two countries. Antonio Camardelli, from the industry association, believes that in future annual trade may reach 100,000 tons.
According to Mário Mugnaini Jr., executive secretary of the Foreign Trade Board (Camex), it will be necessary to pay great attention to the new legislation so it does not harm Brazilian product export. To him, some companies, especially the small ones, will not be able to bear the cost of an agent in the United States, one of the new demands.
Structure sponsored by the Brazilian Furniture Industry Association (Abimóvel), the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Apex) and by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) should start operating in mid December and may radically reduce delivery times. It will be possible to mount and finish items at the site.
Hassine Bouzid, a Tunisian diplomat, says that Brazilian companies may install factories in his country and take advantage of special European tariffs.
The company currently exports to the Middle East, and has its eyes on other countries that demand Islamic certification for butchering.
The presidential tour of the Arab countries, scheduled for December 3 to 10, was confirmed last week, stated Sarkis Karmirian, head of the Near East department in the Itamaraty (the Brazilian Foreign Office). To the minister, commercial relations between both countries are certain to "grow in quality".
In total, there are eight measures to simplify and speed the investigation of practices considered abusive in world trade, such as dumping, committed against Brazilian industries.
