Marina Sarruf*
São Paulo – Damascus International Fair, which began on September 03 and ends today (12), generated contacts and business even outside the Arab world for the Brazilian companies exhibiting at the stand organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB). Importers from Iran and Venezuela, for example, showed interest in the cosmetics and teas produced in Brazil. In total, nine companies from Brazil are participating in the fair.
"Our product was very well accepted. Everybody wanted to taste the tea when we said it was from Brazil," stated Samir Moussa, the representative of company Clarim, from the southern Brazilian state of Paraná. According to him, apart from importers from Venezuela and Iran, which is not an Arab country, businessmen from Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq took samples of catalogues of organic products made by the company. "We made good contacts that have good chances of working out. The region has a great market," he added.
Beauty and personal hygiene products made by company Franchel were also popular among the Arab and non-Arab importers at the fair. "We have already made deals with Iran and Venezuela," stated the company export manager, Frankleen Rocha. According to him, the businessman from Iran is going to import the whole company line of natural products, which includes perfumes, make-up, shampoo and conditioner. "He has already taken samples and I have said I will send other products too," he said. "There are over 20 items," added the businessman.
According to him, the Venezuelan businessman placed his first order for shampoo and conditioners. "The volume has not yet been decided on, and I am going to make new contacts with him," stated the Franchel export manager. With regard to Arab importers, Rocha stated that he made contact with a businessman from Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, which showed interest in establishing a joint venture with the Brazilian company. "The idea is to import our raw materials and produce the products in the Arab country," he explained.
Apart from the businessman from Dubai, Rocha also made contact with a Syrian businessman interested in the establishment of a joint venture. "It was what we wanted," stated the company export manager, who went to the fair with the objective of meeting businessmen interested in establishing partnerships.
More contacts
According to Tarek Sarout, a trader and representative of five companies from the city of São José do Rio Preto, in the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo, the negotiation of some products, like cold drinks and medicinal herbs, will be closed in the near future. "We already have orders from businessmen from Jordan and Syria," he said.
Among the companies from the city that already have placed orders are Refrigerantes Poty, which produces soft drinks, Bionatus, a maker of herbal products, and Ambar Leather, in the leather sector. According to Sarout, the intention of the importers is to buy raw materials, like guaraná concentrate and medicinal herbs, for example, for industrialization in the region.
Meetings in the sidelines
In the sidelines of the fair, CCAB directors Sami Roumieh and Bechara Ibrahim, who are in Syria, met with the country minister of Economy, Amir Lutfi, and with the prime minister, Mohammed Naji Ottri.
*Translated by Mark Ament
