Cairo – Brazil concluded its participation in the Cairo International Fair, which ended last Friday (27th), in Egypt, with a positive balance. "The balance of our presence at this event is a positive one. I say so because our goals as a Chamber of Commerce have all been met,” said the foreign trade assistant at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Hans Lazarte Lima.
"Our main interests were to diffuse and promote the ‘Brazil’ brand, and to have companies from Egypt and the Arab world, whose representatives were at the fair, become more closely acquainted with our potential and the products that we make available for sale," said Lima.
According to him, the goals have all been attained, as it was possible to show not only to the businessmen, but also to the general public, that Brazil has much to offer in terms of products, not just to Egypt, but also to countries in the entire region.
What attracted the attention of the foreign trade assistant the most was the fact that, little by little, Arab businessmen gained a clearer and more precise idea of everything that Brazil has to offer, export-wise. He noticed a gradual shift in the perception that businessmen have of Brazilian companies.
"Traditionally, they used to seek information on how to import, especially beef or corned beef. Nowadays, Egyptian companies are eyeing Brazil as a supplier of products in absolutely all areas," says Lima.
The Egyptians, according to him, are requesting information to meet immediate demands. "We tend to think that working with the Arabs is a long-term affair. I have noticed, however, that most of the companies that contacted us wanted everything right now, as soon as possible,” explains Lima.
This, according to the Arab Brazilian Chamber representative, is due to the fact that the businessmen, particularly the Egyptian, who are already in touch with other supplier countries, are attempting to diversify their import sources. Their intention is to obtain the best in quality and pricing.
"Here in Egypt, there clearly is a huge demand for products in all sectors. The country imports 80% of the products sold in this market, which has an amazing absorption capacity. As a consequence, local businessmen are always looking for new suppliers," he says.
For the sake of illustration, Lima cites the example of an Egyptian businessman who is used to importing products from India and Malaysia, and who visited the Brazilian stand. "When he saw the Brazilian products and catalogues that are on display here at the stand, he was amazed, because he had no idea of the quality of Brazilian products. Right away, he told me that he wants to go to Brazil, and even requested information on tickets and hotels," Lima finishes off.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
