Isaura Daniel
São Paulo – Brazilian companies participating in the 51st Damascus International Fair, which started last Friday (03), in Syria, have already made around 40 commercial contacts. They are exhibiting their products at a stand organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) with the support of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations.
In all, 15 Brazilian companies in areas like components for shoes, coffee, chemical products, machinery, electronic equipment, auto parts, technology, and metallurgy participated in the show. Part of the companies are included in an area called City Hall, established by the city hall of Santo André, an industrial city in southeastern Brazil. The Metal-Mechanics Industry Union (Sindimetal) of the southern state of Paraná is also participating in the stand, representing its associates.
"The Brazilian stand is being greatly sought. Some people are also asking for products that are not being exhibited, including petrochemicals and highway projects," stated the CCAB strategic planning manager, Luiz Waki, who is accompanying the Brazilian exhibitors in Syria, together with CCAB director Sami Roumieh, and advisor Carla Nabhan. Waki stated that some of the visitors are even trying to purchase products exhibited at the stand.
Among the Brazilin companies participating in the fair are Amazonas, a producer of shoe components, Beraca Sabará, which makes ingredients for cosmetics, Café Pelé, a coffee producer, and Global Guiders, a international trading company.
Corgett, in the jewel and semi-jewel sector, is one of the City Hall exhibitors. The city decided to participate in the fair so as to take advantage of the trade rout opened last year, with the visit Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took to the Arab countries.
"Corgett has already made two good business contacts and is going to leave samples of its products so as to proceed with negotiations," explained Waki. According to the CCAB strategic planning manager, jewellery and shoe products are generating great interest. Beraca Sabará, which produces components for cosmetics among other chemical products, is also taking advantage of the fair so as to improve its relations with company customers in the region.
The fair is a multi sector event and should generate around US$ 100 million in deals for exhibitors up to September 12. As the country has frontiers with Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Turkey, and also has ports on the Mediterranean, Syria is an important business centre in the region. Many products enter Iraq through Syria. This year, US$ 1 billion should be taken to the neighbouring country through Syria.
"Syria is a country presenting surprising industrial growth and is a new market. Brazilian products have great chances of being sold in the region," stated CCAB secretary general Michel Alaby.
Brazilian trade with Syria has been growing in recent years. Between January and August this year, sales to the country rose surprisingly. They have exceeded US$ 118 million, well above the US$ 19 million registered in the same period last year.
The sectors that are usually the heart of Damascus International Fair are food, auto parts and transport vehicles, raw material for cosmetic production and personal hygiene products, construction equipment and material, medical and hospital equipment, agricultural machinery and equipment, finished products for the hotel and tourism industry, and software.
The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce has been participating in the fair since 1996. Last year, the show included 4,514 exhibitors, of whom almost 2,500 were foreign.
