São Paulo – The Middle East is the first market that the president of the Association of the Ribeira Valley Fish Farmers (Aquivale), Antonio de Pádua Nunes, mentions whenever the conversation involves foreign sales. Fish farmers in the interior of the state of São Paulo, who are willing to gain space in Brazil and abroad with their processed fish-based foodstuffs, already know that the Arab world is an important trade partner. That will be taken into consideration as soon as the production increases, especially after a central refrigerated warehouse is inaugurated for the association’s affiliates in the city of Jacupiranga, 217 kilometres away from the state capital São Paulo. The facilities should be ready in 2011.
Fish farmers in the Ribeira Valley produce foods such as kibbeh, croquettes, coxinhas (chicken croquettes), hamburgers, meatballs and escondidinho (Brazilian shepherd’s pie). Everything made from fish such as tilapia, tambaqui, pacu and carp. "The trend is to add value to the products in order to increase the growers’ income," explains Nunes, who claims that tambaqui fish ribs are another highlight in the assocation’s frozen food menu.
Presently, the 52 Aquivale affiliates produce 600 tonnes of fisheries per year. According to Nunes, the Ribeira Valley is estimated to comprise approximately 500 fish farmers in 15 municipalities. The leading producer cities are Jacupiranga, Registro, Juquiá, Sete Barras and Cajati.
For 2011, the bet is to increase the output of these entrepreneurs by inaugurating a central refrigerated warehouse in Jacupiranga. According to Nunes, the facilities already existed, but were unused. Now, the premises will be refurbished using federal government funds. "We have submitted a request to the Ministry of Fisheries, and it was approved," explains Nunes.
After the opening of the warehouse, the area will be loaned for Aquivale to use for 20 years, in a cooperative-like arrangement. "Our associates will be like partners of the production centre," says he. Within this process, a partnership was established with the office of the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) in the Ribeira Valley in order to provide support to fish farmers in managing the business. "We have received technical training and our entire production will be monitored," says Nunes.
Thu, if everything works out as planned, the growers will be perfectly able to bet on the foreign market. "We want to start with the Middle East and Japan. In the latter, by the way, we already have contacts," says Nunes. "We are aware that the Arab market is large, and that it lacks [freshwater] fish," he claims. "We are paying attention to all possibilities."
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
