Dubai – The contacts made by the 12 companies participating in the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and Ministry of Agriculture stand at the Gulfood, the main food sector fair in the Middle East that ended on Thursday (26) in Dubai, may generate around US$ 55 million in business, being US$ 15 million in orders made at the fair itself and US$ 40 million in orders for the next 12 months, according to a study by the Arab Brazilian Chamber and the Ministry.
"In this edition the movement was lower than last year, but it was good. It was above expectations," said the manager at the ministry, Danilo Gennari. In the four days of the fair, the companies at the stand made over 2,000 contacts from at least 20 countries. "Despite the lower movement, the contacts were better and the movement was more qualified," said Gennari.
According to him, last year the world was demanding much, but in 2009 the business should stabilise. "For food there should always be demand, with or without a crisis," said the manager, who guarantees that more companies should participate in the next edition of the Gulfood. "Many people have already sought us. We are going to try to organise a larger stand in partnership with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) and the Arab Brazilian Chamber," he said.
"Despite the lack of credit, which also affected the food sector, expectations were satisfactory, showing that Brazilian companies should keep their strategies in the countries of the Gulf," said the secretary general at the Chamber, Michel Alaby. According to him, companies should consider that after the Gulf, they may also reach countries in the vicinity, like Iran, Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, among others that are great consumers of agro industrial products.
According to Alaby, the fair also received a great number of visitors from African Arab and non-Arab countries. The products that the secretary believes present the greatest potential in the region are dairy, natural and industrialised eggs, biscuits, cakes, sweets, cheese and honey. "Apart from the traditional ones, like coffee, sugar and meats," he added.
At the Brazilian stand, almost all companies closed deals and plan to return in 2010. In the other Brazilian stands, like that of the Brazilian Fruit Institute (Ibraf), companies also closed deals for products like guaraná, assai and citric fruit. Also present at the event were the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec) and the Brazilian Poultry Exporters Association (Abef), all in partnership with the Apex.
*Translated by Mark Ament
