São Paulo – Six companies in the fruit sector that participated in the Gulfood, the largest food sector fair in the Middle East, which took place from February 21st to the 24th, in Dubai, closed deals of US$ 2.3 million during the event, and expectations are to close another US$ 7 million in coming months.
The estimates are by the Brazilian Fruit Institute (Ibraf), which coordinated participation of sector companies at the fair in partnership with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), through the Brazilian Fruit Project.
Contracts were signed with buyers from Egypt, Senegal, Turkey, Romania, Syria, Jordan and Algeria.
Claudio Piovesan, the export manager at company Rio Doce, who participated in Gulfood for the first time, was impressed with the visitors. “There was great commotion regarding the variety and quality of sampled fruit. Everybody was impressed with the papaya and mango, as they are used to the product arriving by sea, which does not have the same taste,” said the executive in a press statement.
José Ruette Filho, executive president at Ruette Spices, which has been participating in Gulfood for three years, said that the fair in Dubai is the most traditional event that brings results to his company.
“With each year, we expand the number of contacts made at Gulfood. The visitors are focussed buyers who, when they enter the stand, are already interested in doing business,” said Ruette, in a press statement. Currently, the company exports orange, tangerine and limes to 99 countries.
Ivan Barbosa, the Commercial Promotion manager of the government of the state of Minas Gerais, pointed out the successful result of sampling of fruit produced in the state. “The fair is very interesting. I think that producers from Minas are going to earn much with our promotion, especially in fruit culture sector,” he said, in an interview to ANBA.
“The fair has already forecasted the possibility of a delegation from Minas to Dubai, possibly this year, as well as a delegation from the Emirates to the state of Minas,” finished off Barbosa.
*Translated by Mark Ament
