São Paulo – Brazil’s olive oil imports climbed 52% in 2018’s first two months, in comparison to the same period of last year, according to data from the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services (MDIC). The country imported, in the period, 12,400 tons of the product, with Portugal the main supplier with 90% of the total.
The olive oil sector should see a significant boost in sales during Easter in Brazil, reported this Thursday (29) the Brazilian Association of Olive Oil Producers, Importers and Traders (OLIVA). The expectation is for sales to go up between 25% to 30% in comparison to the same period of last year.
Historically, sales of olive oil increase during Easter, due to Brazilians’ preference to the Mediterranean cuisine, especially fish such as cod. But, according to OLIVA’s president, Rita Bassi, “the growth this year is explained by the economic recovery and the improvement in Brazilians’ purchasing power and reflects the increasingly value of olive oil to consumers, for both taste and health benefits.”
Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
