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Last Updated: Jun 25th, 2007 - 17:07:26 |
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Foreign sales of Brazilian beef cattle generated US$3.59 billion from January to November this year, representing an increase of 27.2% when compared to the same period in 2005. Shipments totalled 2.2 million tonnes, with growth of 10.7%. These figures also show that Brazil is the world's largest exporter of cattle beef, both in terms of volume and value. |
To further expand Brazilian cattle beef exports to the Arab market, the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec) is going to participate in Gulf Food, a fair in the food sector in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which is going to take place between February 19 and 22, and in a workshop in Morocco in the first half of 2007.
"We are already great suppliers of cattle beef to the Arab market and are now being sought by Morocco, which is interested in importing Brazilian cattle beef. For this reason, we are going to participate in a workshop to promote our product among possible Moroccan buyers," stated the president at the Abiec, Marcus Vinícius Pratini de Moraes.
This is going to be the first time that the organization, in partnership with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex), is going to promote the product in the Arab country. Nowadays, Brazil exports a small volume of beef to Morocco.
Among the international events that the Abiec participated in this year, two took place in Egypt and one in Algeria. In both countries, the organization promoted workshops for Arab businessmen and a Brazilian-style barbecue. According to Pratini, barbecues are a strategy that adds value to Brazilian beef.
"We must show how the Brazilians eat meat and add value to the product," he said. He also added that Brazilian beef is well accepted in the Arab market and that the country follows religious norms for halal slaughter.
According to Pratini, one of the objectives for next year is the promotion of Brazilian cattle beef in developing countries, like those of North Africa. "More and more developing countries are consuming meat, as the income of their populations is rising and, thus, increasing consumption," he said.
From January to November this year Egypt was the second main importer of Brazilian cattle beef, importing US$ 339.9 million and 271,700 tonnes, losing only to Russia, which imported US$ 653 million and 407,000 tonnes. Among the ten greatest Brazilian buyers of the product are Algeria, with US$ 93.83 million and 63,600 tonnes, and Saudi Arabia, with US$ 74.18 million and 51,500 tonnes.
"The Arab countries are now a great market for Brazil and are increasing their imports further and further," stated Pratini.
Record exports
Foreign sales of Brazilian cattle beef generated US$3.59 billion from January to November this year, representing an increase of 27.2% when compared to the same period in 2005. Shipments totalled 2.2 million tonnes, with growth of 10.7%.
"This is an extraordinary increase," commemorated Pratini, who believes that up to the end of the year exports should reach US$ 4 billion. These figures also show that Brazil is the world's largest exporter of cattle beef, both in terms of volume and value.
According to Pratini, exports next year should grow between 5% and 10% in terms of volume and between 10% and 15% in terms of value. "It is necessary to improve the product mix and enter new markets," he said. Brazilian cattle beef is exported to a total of 180 countries.
Another fact that Pratini pointed out is the improvement in Brazilian participation in the international market. "We are more and more reducing intermediaries. We are managing to come closer to distributors, acting as salesmen," he said.
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