São Paulo – Brazilian egg exports to the Arab countries fetched US$ 6.9 million in H1, an increase of 41.4% over the same period of last year, according to data from the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade compiled according to the criteria established by the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA). The organization takes into account fresh and processed ready-for-consumption eggs.
ABPA’s vice-president of Poutry, Ricardo Santin, points out that the Middle East is the main destination region for the Brazilian product. Exports to the region amounted to 71.4% of the US$ 9.24 million worth of eggs shipped by Brazil in H1. In general, Brazilian sales abroad increased 29% over H1 2014.
The United Arab Emirates is responsible for the performance, with imports of US$ 6.2 million, an increase of 44% in the same comparison. The country is the largest market for Brazilian eggs abroad.
The UAE now moved to the post previously occupied by Angola and Hong Kong. According to him, Angola established import barriers and business went down drastically. “We were forced to seek an alternative and the Middle East became a nice, and now established, option”, he said.
If taken into account the numbers compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), which include also hatching eggs, the worth of exports to the Arabs in H1 goes up to US$ 15.5 million, an increase of 24% over the same period of last year. In this scenario, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are also relevant markets, but the UAE still remain the main destination.
In his assessment, there’s space to grow even more. On the supply side, Santin says that Brazil exports only 1% of the eggs produced and, in these terms, it’s possible to increase production and sales abroad.
On the demand side, the executive notices that the Islamic population, the majority in the Arab countries, is one of the fastest growing in the world, with the consumption market following along.
On the poultry’s trail
To win over the Arabs, Brazilian companies took advantage of the recognition that Brazilian poultry had earned in the region. The Middle East is the main destination of Brazil’s poultry and the country’s companies are market leader. “If the Brazilian poultry is good, the egg has the same quality”, said Santin.
Following along the brand Brazilian Chicken, ABPA introduced the brand Brazilian Egg in its trade promotion actions, among them its participation in Gulfood, the food industry fair that takes places every year in Dubai, in the UAE.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
