Erbil – Erbil International Fair, a multisectorial event that ended on Thursday (21) in Iraqi Kurdistan, generated good contacts for Brazilian companies and for the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, which participated institutionally for the first time. "As a first participation it was very positive. Next time, I believe it will be even more interesting to participate in sectorial fairs in the region," said the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Michel Alaby.
The Iraqi Kurds showed interest in importing male and female shoes and sandals, sugar, dentistry equipment, meats, coffee and furniture. According to Alaby, in the four days of the fair, he made around 60 contacts with companies from southern Iraq, India, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.
Some companies in Kurdistan already import from Brazil, but through Dubai or Jordan, and are interested in importing directly, among them Ramo Company, from Erbil, which imports shoes. In the furniture sector, for example, several companies from the Iraqi region sought the export manager at company Vila Rica, Camila Rodrigues, who exhibited wardrobes at the fair.
"As it was the first time, I liked participating in the fair and learning about the market. We did not have great results, but the opportunity to show our products in a new market arose," said Camila, who plans to spend some more days in Erbil to visit shops and learn more about the demand in the region. "I would also like to find a distributor or agent to help me in terms of language," he added.
To Ehsan Taj, the Iraqi representative of Fanem, a maker of medical and hospital equipment, the fair was also positive, despite the difficulty with the Kurdish language. According to him, there are three large public hospitals in Erbil and another 25 emergency rooms and specialized clinics in the city. "There is great potential here," said Taj.
From November 29th to December 2nd, International Fair Promotion (IFP), the company that organizes Erbil International Fair, should promote the Agrofood and Medical Fair. According to Alaby, these are two sectors that are potentially competitive for Brazilian companies and present a great opportunity.
*Translated by Mark Ament
