São Paulo – Brazil shipped higher volumes of beef to Arab countries in January this year. Egypt the sixth leading importer of Brazilian beef, imported 16,642 tonnes, up 106% from January 2013. Revenues from exports to the North African country stood at US$ 55.3 million, up 97% from January 2013. The figures were released last Monday (17th) by the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec).
The United Arab Emirates ranks ninth on the list of Brazilian beef importers and saw a 57.8% increase in import volume in January, up 1,556 tonnes. Revenues stood at US$ 7.7 million, up 35% from January 2013.
Algeria, the tenth in the ranking, imported 1,458 tonnes of beef from Brazil last month, up 5% from January 2013. Revenues stood at US$ 6.8 million, up 13%.
“The countries are replenishing their inventories, on the one hand, and meeting domestic demand on the other,” explains Michel Alaby, CEO to the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, regarding the increase in imports by Arab countries. “In the case of the Emirates, re-exports to other countries may also play a part. “
According to Alaby, protein consumption in Arab countries is on the rise. The executive also ascribes the increase to weather in North Africa at this time of year. “In Algeria and Egypt, the weather is very cold, hence the need for more protein and fat,” he says.
January-on-January, Egypt’s imports were up 73.5% in value and 69.4% in volume. The Emirates’ imports were up 26.6% in value and 21.2% in volume. Only Algeria imported less, down 19% in value and 21.4% in volume.
Alaby notes that Brazilian beef sales to Saudi Arabia are still suspended, and that the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply is in charge of negotiations. An embargo on Brazilian beef imports has been in place in the Gulf country since December 2012, when the Brazilian government announced that an animal bearing the mad-cow disease-causing agent died in 2010, although it did not develop the actual condition.
Brazil exported a total of 130,400 tonnes of beef in January, up 11.7% from January 2013. Total revenues were up 7.4% to US$ 555.8 million.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
