São Paulo – The Sudanese ambassador to Brasília, Abd Elghani Awad Elkarim, met this Tuesday (16th) with Brazilian agricultural machinery companies which invest or intend to invest in Sudan, and recognized that a key challenge to the country’s development is obtaining funding. He said, however, that the Sudanese government is negotiating with Arab nations from the Gulf to release lines of credit to build ethanol and sugar plants and to finance imports.
According to Elkarim, Sudan is an attractive market to Brazilian agricultural implements because it is growing and bears many similarities with Brazil. “The two nations have lands for farming, and Brazil has excellence in agriculture development. That can be taken over to Sudan,” said the ambassador during the meeting held at the offices of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, in São Paulo.
The ambassador stated that the Sudanese are investing in boosting agricultural productivity to generate income and ensure food security to its population.
The country’s government and companies, however, have trouble implementing projects because of economic embargoes still imposed on Sudan. He said, however, that there is a possibility of obtaining credit from banks in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
Opportunities
Euripes Soares Júnior, the export analyst at Baldan, a company which exports machinery to Sudan, said the meeting with the Sudanese ambassador has helped enterprises which operate in the country or wish to export to it to become more aware of local demands.
Soares Júnior said the similarity with Brazil in weather and nature helps business. “Their agriculture is similar to ours and that is good because our products do not require major modifications to serve their market. But funding really is a difficulty,” he said.
Weliton Coelho, a representative of Jumil, which manufactures planters, fertilizer fertilizer sprayers and cutters, among other products, said there are farmers in Sudan who wish to invest in new products and technology, but the lack of lines of credit often hampers business.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
