{"id":303730,"date":"2021-12-06T17:54:31","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T20:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/?p=303730"},"modified":"2021-12-08T15:02:14","modified_gmt":"2021-12-08T18:02:14","slug":"apex-brazil-wants-to-take-halal-to-small-enterprises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/apex-brazil-wants-to-take-halal-to-small-enterprises\/","title":{"rendered":"Apex-Brazil wants to take halal to small enterprises"},"content":{"rendered":"

S\u00e3o Paulo \u2013 The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) wants to turn Brazilian micro and small enterprises into halal exporters. The agency\u2019s president Augusto Pestana (pictured above<\/em>) mentioned the strategy in the opening ceremony of the Global Halal Brazil business forum on Monday (6).<\/p>\n

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Pestana: Plans about exploring the halal market<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The event is hybrid, with an in-person part for guest in the Hotel Renaissance in S\u00e3o Paulo, where Pestana spoke alongside other officials and experts. The forum is held by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce<\/strong> (ABCC) and the Federation of Muslim Associations of Brazil (FAMBRAS Halal) with the support of Apex-Brasil.<\/p>\n

Pestana further outlined the plan in an interview with ANBA. Brazil is a recognizes supplier of halal animal protein, which has been achieved especially by large producing companies in the sector, but it wants to gain foothold in new goods and include small businesses in the market. \u201cThe idea is adding this large side of halal in the training of Brazilian micro and small enterprises,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Apex- Brasil leads a training program on halal for the Brazilian exporter called Peiex that is expected to reach many micro and small entrepreneurs. The agency has also signed an agreement with the ABCC recently to hold activities involving the halal topic such as training exporters.<\/p>\n

To export more<\/strong><\/p>\n

Apex-Brasil is affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs focused on fostering exports from Brazil, attracting foreign direct investment to Brazil and helping companies go international. Training companies, particularly those new to exports, is part of the job. With halal, the idea is training small agribusiness companies, large exporters that still have no expertise in this market, as well as business from other industries like cosmetics, tourism and finance. \u201cIt\u2019s a world to explore,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Pestana believes this market will inspire businesspeople. \u201cI\u2019m amazed when I see the numbers, the sheer dimension, those 2 billion of (Muslim) people (across the world) \u2013 it\u2019s an impressive market, and trade is growing and growing, at almost USD 5 trillion. It\u2019s quite impressive; this is an essential message to give our clients, Brazilian exporters,\u201d Pestana said in his speech at the forum. Apex-Brasil addresses halal in approximately 20 of its activities and programs but plans on increasing its operations.<\/p>\n

In addition to training small businesspeople on halal, the agency also plans on setting up a strategy to explore this market according to its regional divisions. \u201cHaving a strategy for these products in large regions to complement the industry regard,\u201d Pestana told ANBA. According to him, this will be carried out via the agency\u2019s offices and Brazil\u2019s embassies, consulates and agricultural attach\u00e9s in other countries, as well as associations with international branches like the ABCC in the Arab countries. But the idea is exploring the halal market not only in the Arab nations but in other regions where there\u2019s a Muslim community like the Sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas and others.<\/p>\n

Foreign policy<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the opening ceremony, Pestana said the Gulf is a priority in the Brazilian foreign policy. The region has a Muslim-majority population and consumes mostly halal products. \u201cI\u2019m happy to say this is not a priority just for Apex, it\u2019s a foreign policy priority, and I\u2019m very glad to bring this message, which is a message by Foreign minister Carlos Fran\u00e7a,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Pestana mentioned the trips of Brazil\u2019s president Jair Bolsonaro to the Gulf in 2019 and this year as a show of this. Two years ago, Bolsonaro visited the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. This year he went to the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain. In the UAE, the president visited Expo 2020 Dubai, a world exhibition whose Brazilian pavilion is entrusted to Apex-Brasil.<\/p>\n

The Global Halal Brazil forum runs till Wednesday (8) and can be watched online on the event\u2019s website<\/a> or the ABCC\u2019s YouTube<\/a>\u00a0 channel. It features translation into Portuguese and English.<\/p>\n

Follow the complete forum coverage:<\/em><\/p>\n