São Paulo – Brazilian fertilizer supply and the possibility of increasing purchases from Arab countries were the topics of a meeting this Thursday (10) with the Brazilian minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA), Tereza Cristina, with Arab ambassadors and heads of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC).
Brazil faces concerns about fertilizers due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. The conflict threatens the supply of fertilizers from the region to Brazil, which depends on the products for agriculture.
Arab countries are among Brazil’s fertilizer suppliers. The secretary-general of the ABCC, Tamer Mansour, presented at the meeting in Brasília the summary of a study carried out by the institution.
“The Arab countries have an amicable and close relationship with Brazil, including those that export fertilizers to Brazil,” said ABCC president Osmar Chohfi. The institution was responsible for coordinating a meeting between importers and sector entities from the Arab countries in the coming days.
According to information disclosed by the MAPA, at the meeting, the minister said the ministry would talk to companies and cooperatives in the agricultural sector about the interest in increasing purchases from Arab countries. “We live in an important moment of crisis, but also of opportunities for both sides,” said Tereza Cristina.
Diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, Iraq, Palestine, Algeria, Qatar, Mauritania, Tunisia, and Lebanon participated. From the MAPA, in addition to the minister, the executive secretary, Marcos Montes, was present. The Secretary of Commerce and International Relations of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Orlando Leite Ribeiro, also participated.
The minister mentioned the meeting during the launch of the National Fertilizer Plan this Friday (11) at Palácio do Planalto (Brazil’s seat of national executive power). She said the partnership could be fruitful right away. The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, attended the launch event and thanked the Arabs for their collaboration. Several Arab diplomats participated in the ceremony.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
