São Paulo – Brazilian exports to Syria grew 306% in November as against October. Sales rose from US$ 14.4 million to US$ 58.5 million. Following the Syrian example, sales to other countries, like Iraq, Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain, presented growth from one month to another, despite the 4.7% reduction in sales from Brazil to the Arab market from January to November.
Brazilian exports to the countries in the League of Arab States in November rose to US$ 820 million, against US$ 811.6 million in October, which represented growth of 1.12%. In the case of the countries in the Levant region, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, the growth was 79.7% in the same comparison. Sales rose from US$ 73.7 million in October to US$ 132.5 million in November.
According to the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, the growth in sales to these countries is due to the growth in shipments of meats, sugar, coffee and, in the case of Iraq, building machinery.
“The economy of Syria forecasts growth of 6% this year. It is a growing economy,” said Alaby. He pointed out that the expansion in exports to Syria may be influenced by the Iraqi demand, as both countries are neighbours, simplifying reexports.
Directly, Iraq imported the equivalent to US$ 40.45 million from Brazil in November, growth of 90.5% in comparison with October. Since January, the Arab country has been presenting a positive performance. Exports from Brazil to Iraq in the first eleven months of the year totalled US$ 224 million, which represented growth of 120.6% over the same period last year. Apart from chicken and beef, Brazil has shipped graders and building machinery to the country, products with greater added value.
According to the manager of the Market Development manager at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Rodrigo Solano, if Brazilian exports of graders and building machinery were more diversified to other Arab countries, the reduction in foreign sales could have a lower impact.
November
Brazilian foreign sales to the Arab countries in November also presented reduction when compared to the same month last year. Exports dropped from US$ 856.5 million to US$ 820 million, a reduction of 4.17%. Once again, the countries of the Levant were the ones that presented the best performance, with exports of US$ 132.5 million, 91.9% more than in November 2008.
Despite the 4.7% reduction in Brazilian exports to the Arab market, which fell from US$ 8.9 billion from January to November 2008 to US$ 8.49 billion in the same period this year, some countries presented growth. Apart from Iraq, among the main destinations for Brazilian sales are the United Arab Emirates, with growth of 32.4%, Algeria, with 11.7%, and Morocco, with 4.7%. Among the non-traditional destinations, in turn, are Sudan, with growth of 65.9%, Somalia, with 500%, and Djibouti, with 264%.
Imports
From January to November, Brazilian imports from the Arab world totalled US$ 4.69 billion, reduction of 52.9% over the same period last year. When comparing imports in the month of November this year with those in October, the countries in the Gulf exported to Brazil a total of US$ 195.4 million, against US$ 9.7 million.
*Translated by Mark Ament
