São Paulo – Brazilian cooperatives exported 20% more in terms of values to the Arab countries in the first half of 2010 when compared to the same period in 2009. From January to June this year, exports totalled US$ 350 million in agricultural products, against US$ 292 million in the first six months of last year.
The main importer in the Middle East was the United Arab Emirates, responsible for the purchase of US$ 147 million in Brazilian products, mainly refined sugar (US$ 131 million). This figure makes the country the third main importer from Brazilian cooperatives, with 7.4% of imports, losing only to China and Germany.
“The Emirates have always been great export partners for Brazilian cooperatives. They are always in second or third," explained Patrícia Medeiros, market analyst at the Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives (OCB). The Gulf country also imported poultry and soy oil.
Saudi Arabia was in the fifth position in imports in the first half, responsible for just 5.3% of foreign sales of cooperatives. Other Arab countries that also had significant imports in the sector were Algeria (US$ 30 million), Egypt (US$ 23 million) and Kuwait (US$ 2.1 million).
Brazilian cooperatives also sold to Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Sudan and Tunisia. “The Arab countries are very significant [to Brazilian cooperatives]," said Patrícia.
The main products exported to the Arabs by cooperatives in the period were sugar and poultry, but they also purchased orange, milk, cream, butter, beans, coffee in grain and cottonseed.
The OCB includes 1,615 agricultural cooperatives in its system, of which 172 are exporters. In the first half of this year, the country’s cooperatives exported a total of US$ 1.99 billion, against US$ 1.74 billion in the first six months of 2009. In the total for last year, sector exports totalled US$ 3.63 billion. For 2010, OCB hopes for growth of 9.5% to 10% over this value.
*Translated by Mark Ament
