According to the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply domestic agribusiness exports to Arab countries, including Egypt, the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Morocco, totalled US$ 610 million in May which means growth of 7.8 per cent over the same month last year. Sales to the Middle East and North Africa represent 8.5 per cent of Brazilian export sales, which totalled at US$ 7.2 billion in May.
According to Eduardo Sampaio Marques, director of the International Promotion Department at the Ministry, agribusiness exports to the Arabs are maintaining a steady trend of growth.
Among the Arab countries, Egypt was the main market for Brazilian sales in the month of May, with US$ 122.62 million exported, followed by the United Arab Emirates, with US$ 102.9 million, Saudi Arabia, with US$ 100 million, Algeria, with US$ 62.5 million, and Morocco, with US$ 44.5 million.
Sugar, alcohol and meat sector products were the most exported. In terms of sugar, the Arabs imported the equivalent to US$ 263.2 million in May, growth of 43 per cent over the same month last year. In meats, in turn, Brazil exported US$ 281.9 million, growth of almost 10 per cent in the same comparison. Egypt was the main destination for both exports, having purchased US$ 56.57 million in sugar and US$ 54.72 million in meats.
Within the meat division, raw chicken was the main product exported to the Arab market in the month, with revenues of US$ 175.8 million, growth of 13.5 per cent over May 2009. Apart from meats and sugar, Brazil also shipped live animals, soy, coffee, wood, dairy products, fruit juice, tobacco and paper. The most popular products in exports to Egypt were live animals.
“Brazil opened the market for live cattle in Egypt this month. This is very good for Brazil,” said Marques. Sales of cattle totalled US$ 4.7 million. Of the five main destinations for exports, the ones that registered the greatest growth in the month were Egypt, with growth of 80 per cent , the United Arab Emirates, with 11.5 per cent, and Algeria, with 8.5 per cent. Among the less traditional markets, in turn, Syria was the one that grew most in the month (198 per cent), followed by Somalia, with 132.8 per cent, Tunisia, with 107 per cent, Yemen, with 99.3 per cent, and Mauritania, with 83.5 per cent.
From January to May, agribusiness exports to the Arab countries generated US$ 2.67 billion, growth of 14.8 per cent in comparison with the same period in 2009. The main destinations were Saudi Arabia, with US$ 661.5 million exported, Egypt, with US$ 349.2 million, the United Arab Emirates, with US$ 348.2 million, Morocco, with US$ 210.3 million, and Algeria, with US$ 200 million.
Source: Brazil Arab News Agency
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