São Paulo – Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Yemen were the second main markets for exports from the Brazilian states of Amapá, Sergipe and the Federal District, respectively, from January until April. Combined sales from the three states to the Arab countries totalled US$ 29.25 million during the period, representing growth of 132% compared with the same four-month period of last year, according to data supplied by the Foreign Trade Secretariat.
The state of Amapá exported US$ 22.8 million in iron ore to Bahrain, as against US$ 9.6 million from January to April 2009. The Arab country was second only to China, which imported the equivalent of US$ 34.37 million in ore and wood from the state.
Saudi Arabia, the second main market for exports from the Federal District, imported US$ 4.55 million in chicken meat, as against US$ 460,400 in the same four months of last year. The Brazilian state’s main export target was Venezuela, with US$ 15.3 million in poultry imports.
In the case of the state of Sergipe, which exported the equivalent of US$ 1.8 million in sugar to Yemen, sales dropped by 28% over the first four months of 2009. According to the secretary general of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, one of the causes for the reduction was the increase in sugar pricing. Sergipe’s main export target was the Netherlands, with US$ 6.2 million in sales of orange, pineapple and other fruit juices.
According to Alaby, Arab countries are often among the leading export markets for some Brazilian states. “Especially states that house large companies,” he stated. According to him, it is still possible for some Arab countries to rank first in the list of export targets for some states, “it will all depend on how the companies perform,” he added.
From January until April, Brazilian exports to the Arab countries totalled US$ 2.9 billion, representing growth of 15.3% over the same period last year. The products that contributed the most to the increase in exports were poultry and beef (+24.4%), sugar (+35.8%) and ores (+24.6), whose combined exports accounted for 70% of total sales to the Arabs during the period.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
