Marina Sarruf*
São Paulo – Small companies in the state of São Paulo also want to export to the Arab market. Since the beginning of this year, the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) has been sought by small businessmen interested in participating in fairs and missions in the Arab countries. This was the statement of the foreign relations and foreign trade analysts at the organization, Maria Eugenia Ruiz Borba. Due to this demand, the Sebrae, in partnership with the state government and with the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, has organized a trade mission to the United Arab Emirates.
Between June 1 and 8, around ten businessmen are gong to participate in meetings with Arab importers. The mission, organized by the Sebrae, Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Science, Technology and Development Secretariat of the State of São Paulo, is going to take place in the sidelines of the Hotel Show, a fair in the hospitality sector to take place between June 4 and 6, in Dubai. "The segment that grows most is that of small companies, so they need to discover new markets," stated Maria Eugenia.
According to her, Brazilian exports to the Arab market are rising each year in various sectors, and this brings business opportunities to small companies. Among the products that Brazilian companies are going to present to the Arabs are organic coffee, vases, light fixtures, taps, showerheads, trays, pictures, window frames, mosaics, decorative stones and glasses. "The Arab market has a broad scope of segments it is interested in and the Sebrae wants to join forces with other organizations to open opportunities for small companies," stated Maria Eugenia.
According to her, 99% of the companies in the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo are micro and small. "The work of the Sebrae is to support and strengthen small entrepreneurs who are after funds and want to make use of market niches." Maria also stated that the organization itself researched small companies that already have a capacity to export so as to take them to the fair in Dubai. "The Sebrae is also going to provide Arabic translators to help the businessmen," she added.
"The Arab market is exotic to us and small companies are now waking up to the region," stated Gilberto Campião, export consultant at the Sebrae, who is going to accompany the businessmen in Dubai. According to him, it is large companies that determine the export markets. "Large companies open markets, and small companies then follow," she said.
One of the companies to travel to Dubai is trading company DWR, which is going to represent Cia. Orgânica, taking organic coffee, and company Marcelo Fernandes, that makes decorations. "This is the first time that we are going to participate in the fair. We want to enter the Arab market," stated the director of DWR, Guadalupe Rengifo. According to her, last week the trading company sent samples of organic coffee to Dubai, but she added that they already export to the United States, France and Japan.
Talk
On Thursday (18), around 30 businessmen participated in a talk about exporting to the Arab market, promoted by the Sebrae. The speaker was the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, who provided clues for negotiation with the Arabs and also covered the competitiveness of the market. "Brazilian companies have chances on the Arab market as they are more flexible and creative than other countries," stated Alaby. "Brazilians have to know how to negotiate as Arabs use bargaining as a technique," he finished off.
*Translated by Mark Ament
