Agribusiness was the main base for Brazilian exports to the Arabs last year. Of the US$ 5.2 billion in revenues with Brazilian sales to the region in 2005, US$ 3.4 billion, or 66%, correspond to agriculture and livestock products.
Agribusiness exports to the Arabs rose 24.8% in 2005, against US$ 2.757 billion in the previous year.
The growth of shipment to the region was greater than the national average. In all, sector foreign sales rose 11.8% last year. Sugar was the main product sold by Brazil to the Arab world in 2005. Poultry was the second and cattle beef the fourth.
"The Brazilian agribusiness had become an important supplier to the Arab countries," stated the president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Antonio Sarkis Jr.
The figures of Brazilian exports to the Arab countries were disclosed to the press Wednesday, January 11, by the Arab Brazilian Chamber. According to Sarkis, 27% of the poultry exported by Brazil went to the Arab market.
The consumers in the region also purchased 34% of the sugar exported by Brazilian mills and 23% of the cattle beef. "Ninety percent of the food consumed by the Arabs is imported," recalled the president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber.
Sarkis forecasts growth of 20% in Brazilian exports to the Arab countries in 2006. Part of this percentage should be generated by the good performance of agribusiness sales.
He recalls that the prices of commodities exported to the region by the country, among them sugar and coffee, should rise this year.
Last year, Brazil had revenues of US$ 1.3 billion with sales of sugar to the Arabs, 28% more than in 2004. Sales of coffee were around US$ 69 million, rising 17% over the previous year.
The main destinations for Brazilian agribusiness products among the Arab countries were Saudi Arabia, which imported the equivalent to US$ 805 million, 32% more than in 2004; Egypt, whose purchases totaled US$ 507 million, grew 33.6%; and the United Arab Emirates, to whom exports generated US$ 492.6 million, grew 7.8%. Algeria imported US$ 292.6 million, 11.9% more than in 2004 and Morocco bought US$ 282 million, growth of 10.4%.
The markets that most grew as destinations for Brazilian products, however, were Sudan, with imports totaling US$ 33.7 million, an increase of 400%, Jordan purchased the equivalent to US$ 70 million, 90.6% more than in 2004, and Kuwait, to where exports generated US$ 173 million, presenting growth of almost 65%. Purchases by Yemen generated US$ 175 million, 52.7% more than in 2004, and those from Qatar US$ 43.9 million, growth of 50.5%.
In December alone, Brazilian agribusiness exports to the Arabs generated US$ 278 million, growth of 26% against the US$ 220 million registered in the same month of 2004.
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