São Paulo – The COVID-19 vaccination progress in the Arab countries have boosted exports from Brazil to the region in the first quarter of the year as per figures made public on Monday, 3, by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce. Sales from Brazil to the 22 countries comprising the Arab League fetched USD 2.91 billion year to date through March, up 18.2% from a year ago. The increase in volume was even higher: 22.5%.
“Besides starting vaccination earlier [in late 2020], the Arabs in the Gulf established immunity passports for entering their countries as well as large-scale testing initiatives. These steps helped keeping the number of cases low and making the economic recovery possible. Now we see a rise in domestic demand,” ABCC secretary-general Tamer Mansour was quoted as saying in a news release.
Food items such as sugar, poultry, beef and cereals, as well as iron ore, were some of top exports from Brazil to the region in Q1. Shipments of soy and maize posted the largest growths at 147.98% and 132.67%, respectively. Brazil is a major food exporter for the Arab countries, which rely on imports for the domestic supply.
Mansour believes the demand for foodstuffs in the region should remain high over the next months, particularly as the tourism sector resumes their activities as vaccination progresses across the world. The higher immunization rates in other countries make people more willing to travel.
The ABCC has seen a relevant increase in exports from Brazil to Bahrain, which was the second biggest destination of Brazilian products in the Arab market in Q1, up 96% to USD 406.36 million. The country has vaccinated 23% of its population, which is approximately 1.5 million people.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
