Alexandre Rocha
São Paulo – Morocco is interested in closing agricultural cooperation accords with Brazil. Between July 12 and 16, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) executive director Gustavo Chianca visited the Arab country so as to discuss the matter. The executive travelled as part of a mission organized by the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), an organization connected to the Foreign Relations Ministry.
"Brazil and Embrapa are greatly interested in the region, due to the climate, and in Africa as a whole. (Brazilian) President (Luis Inácio) Lula (da Silva) wants the company to be a technology service provider on the African continent," stated Chianca, adding that the Embrapa dominates agricultural techniques appropriate for regions with tropical and semi-arid climates, and can provide "important cooperation." "Morocco has never had a specific agreement with Brazil in this area," he stated.
On the other side, Chianca stated that Morocco possesses good agricultural research centres, good agronomy schools, developed agriculture, and, due to this, can also provide a valuable contribution to Brazil.
President Lula has been paying great attention to Brazilian relations with Africa and with the Arab countries. A proof of this is that yesterday (29) he ended his third trip to the continent. This time he visited Sao Tome and Principe so as to participate in the fifth summit of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), in Gabon and Cape Verde. During the tour various cooperation accords were signed in many sectors. In December last year, president Lula visited Egypt and Libya, and in November he visited five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Chianca visited the Moroccan ministry of Agriculture, the National Agricultural Research Institute (Inra), Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Institute, and the Meknes National School of Agriculture.
According to him, the Moroccans are interested in exchanging experience in the areas of sugarcane, especially with respect to "biocarburants" (alcohol); aviculture; "direct sowing," a technique for tropical regions and semi-arid regions where tractors are not used for ploughing, and a vegetable cover (hay) is used on the earth so as to avoid erosion and maintain humidity, and to help fertilize the soil. Another area of interest is biotechnology, especially for the genetic improvement of some products, including maize and beans, making them more resistant to droughts.
Chianca pointed out that Brazil is in a leadership position in these areas. In the case of poultry, for example, the Moroccans want to learn about the Brazilian productive system, analysing large companies, like Sadia and Perdigão, exporters of the product, which use various small producers that are connected.
Oranges, olives, sheep, and goats
On the other side, the Embrapa is interested in being granted access to oranges cultivated in Morocco. "Morocco has a large variety of edible oranges, to be eaten raw, and is the largest supplier to Europe. Brazil, in turn, is a producer of oranges for juice, and is interested in producing fruit for eating, especially in the southern region of the country," stated the Embrapa director.
According to him, there is also the possibility of an agreement in the area of olives. "Morocco has the largest variety of olives and we are studying the possibility of adapting some of them for planting in Brazil, especially in the São Francisco river valley, in the semi-arid region of the country, an area that is irrigated," stated the executive, adding that experience may also be exchanged in the area of egg production and goat farming.
Chianca stated that in September, researchers from the Embrapa laboratory in Motpellier, France, who work in the area of "direct planting" and biotechnology, should visit Moroccan technicians. In October, a Moroccan mission should be visiting Brazil to visit the Embrapa Semi-Arid offices, in the northeastern city of Petrolina (Pernambuco state), and Embrapa Savannah, in the city of Brasília, in midwestern Brazil. "Up to the end of the year, we should have a project for technical cooperation ready," he finished off.
Apart from the agricultural sector, other topics discussed during the ABC mission were possibilities for cooperation in the area of civil construction and water. The tour idealiser was ABC director general Lauro Barbosa, who has also been the Brazilian ambassador in Moroccan capital Rabat.
Trade balance
Trade and diplomatic relations between Brazil and Morocco have been rising. In April, the African country minister of Foreign Relations and Cooperation, Mohamed Benaïssa, visited Brazil and met president Lula and other Brazilian authorities. At the occasion the possibility of a free trade agreement between Morocco and the Mercosur, the customs union between Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina was discussed.
At the beginning of June, during a summit between the heads of the South American, in the city of Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, Brazil and the remaining members of the group unanimously approved the start of negotiations with the Moroccan government.
In the first half of this year, Morocco was the fourth largest importer of Brazilian agribusiness products among the Arab countries, having bought a total of US$ 152.5 million, losing only to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
In all, Morocco imported the equivalent to US$ 187.8 million from Brazil in the first six months of 2004, or 95.5% more than in the same period last year. The main products in the trade basket were wheat, sugar, soy oil, soy in grain, and cars.
On the other lane, Brazil imported the equivalent to US$ 88.5 million from the Arab country in the first half, or 17.15% more than in the same period in 2003. Agribusiness was also responsible for this performance, as the products purchased by Brazil were fertilizers and raw material for the production of fertilizers. Morocco is a large world producer of these raw materials.
