Brazilian companies from the sugar and alcohol sectors are getting ready to enter the foreign market. They are about 70 companies who are going to participate, in one month’s time, in a project for preparation of exports.
The project is promoted by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) and by the Agency for Political and Economic Development of Piracicaba (Aderp). The companies will be from the cities of Sertãozinho, Piracicaba and Ribeirão Preto.
"We must act fast to remain in control of this market. We have technology and capacity to lead the process," stated Apex president Juan Quirós, in a statement disclosed by the agency.
The objective of the project is to identify potential consumer markets, attract foreign investment and strengthen the Brazilian image as a producer in the sector.
The first activity has already been programmed. Apex and Aderp are going to bring to Brazil foreign businessmen interested in importing machinery and equipment turned to the sector, like tractors, harvesters, grinders and boilers.
According to the Industry and Trade secretary of Piracicaba, importers have already been identified in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, India and Oceania.
A special consultant is going to be hired to prospect the foreign market and seminars for foreign businessmen will be promoted to attract foreign investment. The intention, according to Quirós, is to bring funds to companies, mainly small ones, which are technologically prepared, but do not have a financial capacity to increase production.
Foreign journalists specialized in the area will also be brought to Brazil to learn about sugarcane production hubs, ethanol producers and research centers. The project should make the country better known for excellence in the production of ethanol.
Brazil produces over 400 million tons of sugarcane a year and almost half of it goes to the production of ethanol. In the last harvest, the country produced around 16 billion liters of the fuel.