São Paulo –Between 2010 and 2011, Brazil plans to expand mate herb exports by 10%. According to Heroldo Secco Junior, the Export Project established by the Abimate (the Brazilian Association of Mate Herb Exporters), half of this growth should come from exports to the Arab countries.
In 2008, Brazil exported 34,000 tonnes of the product, equivalent to US$ 46 million. Currently, Brazil is the main global exporter of mate herb, selling to 32 countries. The main buyers of mate herb are in Latin America, to where 90% of exports of the product go. The main destination for sales is Uruguay, followed by Chile. France, Germany and the United States are also among the main markets for Brazilian mate herb.
Abimate recently signed an agreement with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) to further boost exports of the product. Among the main targets are the Arab countries, especially the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Egypt. “The objective is to expand (exports) and the Arab market is very interesting for us,” pointed out Secco.
The Abimate manager explained that Brazil currently exports part of its mate herb in bulk, and that the plans are to make the country start selling higher value-added products, like extracts, soft drinks and cosmetics. The association brings together 28 companies, of which 12 are already prepared to export and seven are regular exporters.
Secco reveals that up to the first half of 2010, Abimate should be developing marketing actions to promote the quality of mate herb on the international market and also the variety of products available. In April next year, companies participating in the association should participate in a fair in Austria, where they are going to show their products. The organisation is also negotiating participation in the next Gulf Food, in Dubai, to be promoted in February 2010. This year, the association was also present at Anuga, a food sector fair in Germany.
According to Secco, Abimate is evaluating participation in trade missions to the Arab countries and plans to promote its products in these markets as soon as partnerships in the region have been established. “We know that they are countries that consume much tea, but mate herb is still unknown,” he finished off.
*Translated by Mark Ament
