São Paulo – Saudi Arabia was chosen as one of the target markets for the Brazilian pharmaceutical industry. Companies in the sector consider the Arab country one with good potential for growth of exports and also one that is receptive to the broad portfolio of products developed in Brazil.
“Saudi Arabia has a business profile that sees Brazilian products in a different way. It is a market that does not dispute just prices, but also quality, and Brazilian products are higher quality,” explained Hélio Lôbo, the Project manager at the Technology and Health Unit of the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex).
On Thursday (4), Apex and the Association of Brazilian Pharmochemicals and Pharmaceutical Ingredients Producers (Abiquifi) signed an agreement to make available R$ 5.4 million for promotion, commercial intelligence and construction of the brand and image abroad. The actions are going to promote internationalisation of the pharmaceutical and pharmochemical sectors in Brazil from 2013 to 2015. The agreement includes participation of 45 companies in the sector.
“We are going to promote delegations, a Seller Project, an Image Project and a Buyer Project,” said Lôbo regarding the activities to be promoted for the Saudi market. In the Seller Project, the Apex takes Brazilian companies to negotiate abroad, in the Buyer Project, the agency brings importers to visit Brazilian plants and promotes business roundtables in Brazil.
The agreement also includes projects like the Sanitary Image projects, to bring directors and technicians from the target countries to learn about the regulations in Brazil, and the Entity Image, which will promote visits to Brazil by representatives of the main sector organisations in the target countries.
“It is a route of generation of awareness among authorities so that they may learn about Brazilian regulations,” said Lôbo. According to the Apex, the pharmaceutical sector’s regulator in Brazil is one of the most demanding in the world.
Another point in favour of the Brazilian industry is the variety of products that domestic industry produces. “Brazilian companies have a portfolio extension that is not normal. They have a denser portfolio, with injectables, pills, etc.,” said Lôbo.
According to the Apex manager, the Brazilian products with greatest potential are generic and herbal medication. Among the brand medication, said Lôbo, there are opportunities for several kinds of products, from creams to pain killers.
Angola, South Africa, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela are also in the list of target markets for the domestic pharmaceutical sector. In 2012, Brazil exported US$ 2.089 billion in medication and pharmaceutical inputs. The main destinations were the United States, Argentina and Venezuela.
*Translated by Mark Ament
