Isaura Daniel*
isaura.daniel@anba.com.br
São Paulo – The Arab countries are consuming more Brazilian paper. Exports of paper from Brazil totalled US$ 37 million from January and July this year, an increase of 49.8% over the same period of last year. In the same months of last year, Brazilian paper factories posted revenues of US$ 24.9 million from paper sales to the Arab countries. In terms of volume, sales this year stood at 52,900 tonnes, against 41,700 tonnes exported in 2006. The increase, at 11.2%, was inferior to the growth in revenues, which means that prices have increased.
"The higher purchasing power in the region leads to increased consumption," explains the secretary-general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby. The paper imported by the Arabs, according to him, is used mainly for packaging. "The Arabs buy many foreign products and package them in their countries," says the secretary-general. In fact, of the US$ 37 million exported to the countries in the League of Arab States, more than US$ 31 million consisted of packaging paper sales. Volume-wise, packaging paper amounted to over 43,000 tonnes out of the total 52,900.
Brazil, according to Michel Alaby, is a traditional exporter or paper, not only to the Arabs, but also to the whole world. Last year, the country exported 1.9 million tonnes of paper, according to data supplied by the Institute of Forestry Studies and Research (IPEF). In terms of revenues, Brazilian paper sales reached US$ 1.5 billion in 2006. Some Middle Eastern countries, according to the secretary-general, also re-export the product to other nations in the region. Such is the case, for instance, of the United Arab Emirates.
Among the Arab countries, the main importer of Brazilian paper was Egypt. The North African country spent US$ 15.6 million on product purchases, the equivalent of 21,500 tonnes. The Saudis were the second largest buyer of Brazilian paper, at US$ 7.4 million and 10,500 tonnes. The third largest Arab importer was Algeria, with purchases worth US$ 4.5 million and 5,800 tonnes. The United Arab Emirates occupied the fourth position, at US$ 3.7 million and 4,900 tonnes, and Lebanon ranked fifth, at US$ 2.3 million and 1,500 tonnes.
Egypt increased its Brazilian paper imports by 52.8% during the first seven months this year in comparison with the same months of last year. Saudi Arabia imported 42.8% more, and Algeria, 1,405%. Algerian imports totalled only US$ 302,000 between January and July 2006. The United Arab Emirates imported 82% more, and Lebanon, 50%. Of the 22 Arab League countries, 16 acquired paper from Brazil in the first seven months of this year.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
