São Paulo – Near thirty members of the Brazilian Association of Zebu Breeders (ABCZ) watched this Wednesday (8) afternoon a presentation of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce about business opportunities for the Zebu cattle chain in the Arab world. It was a first step for a partnership between the two organizations, which should generate other actions next year.
ABCZ has over 22,000 members from many livestock sectors, operating throughout the production chain. According to data surveyed by the Arab Chamber, last year, countries from North Africa and the Gulf imported USD 21.7 billion in products from the sector, between drugs, medical and veterinarian equipment and live cattle. Brazil exported less than 1% of this total – and 90% of Brazilian exports were of cattle.
“Our focus is on exports of live cattle, but the Arab Chamber showed us that there’s a great demand in other sectors in the region’s countries,” said Icce Garbellini, ABCZ’s international manager. According to her, the Arab countries are in the sector’s sights, a sector that has an “efficient livestock farming, sustainable, of quality and low costs.”
The presentation took place in the association’s headquarters, in Uberaba (MG). The Arab Chamber’s business executive, Hans Lazarte, said that the business owners were enthusiastic with the data shown and the amount of information that the Chamber has. “The response was excellent,” he said.
The relations between the Arab Chamber and ABCZ began to move forward in October, when Lazarte visited ExpoGenética, one of the trade expos organized by the association. The first step, according to him, was this presentation. “Now, we are negotiating support for the participation in trade expos and invitation to Arab entrepreneurs to buyer projects,” he said.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
