São Paulo – Businesspeople from Saudi Arabia, led by the Saudi Exports Development Authority, are on a trade mission to Brazil to gain a better understanding of the local market and explore business opportunities. They were welcomed on Monday (14) by leaders of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) at its headquarters in São Paulo, where they discussed ways to expand trade between Saudi companies and Brazil.
Feras Ahmed A. Alhumidi, Executive Vice President of Goods Exports Sector at Saudi Exports, said during the meeting that the mission is in Brazil to sell and buy, but also to gain a better understanding of the market. As head of the delegation, he explained that Saudi Exports is currently focused mainly on the petrochemical, food, equipment and construction materials, and packaging sectors, and recently there has been a move towards the export of services.
“The ABCC has great respect and regard for Saudi Arabia, strongly believes in the growth of trade between our countries, and is willing to make every effort to ensure this relationship becomes stronger and stronger,” said ABCC President William Adib Dib Jr., alongside International Relations Vice President & Secretary-General Mohamad Mourad.
Saudi Arabia is the third largest destination of Brazilian products in the Arab market and the region’s largest exporter to Brazil. Last year, Brazilian exports to the Saudi market totaled USD 3.1 billion, while Brazilian imports of Saudi products amounted to USD 3 billion.
Fernanda Baltazar, Director of Institutional Relations at the ABCC, presented during the meeting data on trade between the two countries and an overview of areas where Saudi exports to Brazil have potential to grow. Last year, Saudi exports to Brazil were highly concentrated in oil and fertilizers, just as Brazilian exports to Saudi Arabia were primarily sugar and chicken meat.
“On both sides, exports are highly concentrated, which means there’re many opportunities to expand trade,” said Baltazar. According to the data presented by Baltazar, in the food sector, Brazil has potential to import products from Saudi Arabia such as dates, processed cheeses, breads, pastry products, and cakes, among others, as well as agricultural machinery and perfumes. Baltazar told the delegation there is currently a growing demand for Arab perfumes in the Brazilian market.
Mourad offered the ABCC’s support to assist Saudi Exports and Saudi companies in entering the Brazilian market. The delegation attended a presentation on all the services the institution offers, such as international consulting for companies, promoting company participation in trade fairs in both regions, the Ellos platform for digitizing foreign trade processes, the holding of the Global Halal Brazil Business Forum in partnership with FAMBRAS Halal, the Halal do Brasil project to insert Brazilian brands into Muslim markets, among others.
In addition to the leaders of the ABCC, the meeting was attended on the Brazilian side by FAMBRAS Halal Vice President Ali Zoghb, and ABCC Institutional Relations Advisor Bassel Abou Latif, Corporate and Institutional Services Coordinator Ana Cristina Oliveira. On the Saudi side, in addition to Alhumidi, other representatives from Saudi Exports and businesspeople took part.
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
