São Paulo – Saudi Arabia is poised to become an importer of honey and honey-based products from Brazil. The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply reported that the Arab country has approved Brazil’s International Sanitary Certificate model for the export of apiculture products (honey, propolis and wax).
The information was made public by the Brazilian Ministry on Monday (19). The latter believes the new development to be a result of its improved rapport with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), via Brazil’s agricultural attaché in the Arab country, Marcelo Pinto. The Brazilian Ministry expects revenue from exports to reach as much as USD 4.43 million a year.
Saudi Arabia imported USD 66.44 million worth of apiculture products from the world in 2017. Brazil shipped out USD 128.1 million in said goods during that year, having accounted for 6.7% of exports worldwide.
The Brazilian Agriculture Ministry had released a statement last October, during a technical mission to Saudi Arabia led by its Agriculture and Livestock Defense secretary Luís Rangel, that talks with the SFDA had moved forward. “It’s another market that opens up to Brazil. This helps diversify the export portfolio and increase Brazil’s relevance in international agribusiness,” Agriculture minister Blairo Maggi was quoted by the Ministry as saying.
Brazil’s International Relations Agribusiness secretary Odilson Ribeiro e Silva said the next step is for the Department of Inspection of Products of Animal Origin (Dipoa) to supply a list of Brazilian establishments that are willing to sell apiculture products to Saudi Arabia, meeting the requirements of the Certificate at hand. Last year saw USD 1.92 billion in apiculture products exported, not including trade within the European Union, which amounted to USD 576.58 million.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
