Isaura Daniel*
São Paulo – Brazil has increased by 33.3% its imports of cumin seeds from the Arab countries in the first eleven months of the year. Expenses with the purchase of the product rose from US$ 4.6 million from January to November 2005 to US$ 6.1 million in the same period this year. Cumin is a plant that is greatly used in cooking. Cumin seeds flavour oriental and Mediterranean food and are also used as an ingredient in breads, cheeses and pâtés.
In terms of volume, Brazil imported 4,100 tonnes of cumin seeds in the period, against 3,400 tonnes in the same months last year. The growth was 21%. Almost all the cumin seeds imported by Brazil from the Arabs come from Syria. Of the volume imported between January and November this year, 99.3% came from Syria. In terms of revenues, the Syrians answer to 99.4%. "Syria is one of the greatest producers of cumin in the world," said the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby.
Among the Arab countries, apart from Syria, Brazil also bought cumin seeds from the United Arab Emirates in the first eleven months of this year. The volume, however, was not very great: 25 tonnes, equivalent to US$ 37,000. Alaby believes that these sales correspond to re-exports, as the country is not a producer of cumin. Brazil imported a total of 4,900 tonnes of cumin seeds between January and November, which resulted in expenses of US$ 7.4 million. The Arabs supply 83% of the product that entered the country.
Syria was the greatest exporter of cumin seeds to Brazil up to November this year, followed by India, which supplied 370 tonnes, for US$ 544,300, Turkey, with 336 tonnes and US$ 52,000, Singapore, with 87.4 tonnes for US$ 146,500, the Emirates, and Iran, with 23.6 tonnes for US$ 31,900. Brazil also significantly increased purchases from India, but reduced the volume bought from Turkey. Alaby believes that the country replaced its purchases from Turkey for those from Syria, as the price per kilogram of Syrian cumin is cheaper than the Turkish product.
The secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber stated that growing Brazilian imports from Syria is good for trade relations between both the countries. This makes it possible, according to Alaby, for Brazil also to export more to the Arab country. A large share of the purchases that Brazil makes from the Arab countries is oil. One of the requests of the countries of the region is that Brazil also increase purchases of other products. Apart from Syria, other great global producers of cumin are Iran and Turkey.
*Translated by Mark Ament
