From the Newsroom
São Paulo – The Arab country markets for Brazilian cattle beef may grow substantially. This it the evaluation of the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec) directory, which announced the result of sector export in April on Thursday (06). Egypt still leads Brazilian cattle beef purchases in 2004.
Last month, almost 20,500 tonnes of the product were sold to the country for US$ 20.35 million, a 72.95% increase in the quantity sold, and 120.51% increase in revenues, when compared to April last year.
Other Arab countries also appeared in the list of 15 greatest buyers of the Brazilian product in the month. Saudi Arabia, for example, imported 4,750 tonnes of raw meat for US$ 5.3 million, a 6.77% increase in quantities and 37.55% increase in revenues, as against the figures for April last year.
In the case of industrialized beef, Oman appears in 11th place among the 15 largest importers in the month, the United Arab Emirates were the 13th position, followed by Saudi Arabia.
General
In all, Brazil exported a total of 142,000 tonnes of cattle beef for US$ 184 million, a 25.25% increase in shipped volume and 65.12% increase in revenues, with regard to the same month in 2003.
Despite the good performance, Abiec president Marcus Vinicius Pratini de Morais stated that the results could be better. According to him, export was affected by the lack of cold storage containers. This problem has occurred, according to the organization, due to equipment being stopped in southeast Asia, due to the increase in world export to the region. According to the association, in Hong Kong alone, there are 5,000 empty containers waiting.
"Our exporters have to face two great challenges; difficulties for transport, and the high prices of maritime freight," stated Pratini through a spokesperson.
One of the factors that made this sector revenue growth possible, with export, was an increase in product prices on the international market. According to the Abiec, the average price of raw cattle beef rose 35% in April, in comparison to the same month in 2003. In the case of industrialized beef, the price increase was 14.51%.
This year up to now, Brazil has exported over 526,100 tonnes of cattle beef for US$ 666.9 million, a 19.5% growth in volumes and 54.5% in revenues with regard to the same four months in the first months of 2003.
China
Despite their trust in the development of the Arab market, the greatest expectation of Brazilian producers is with the opening of the Chinese market to the product. This is so true that a group of sector businessmen, led by Pratini, is going to accompany president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the tour he is going to take of the Asian countries up to the end of the month.
According to information supplied by the Abiec, negotiations for a sanitary agreement between Brazil and China started in 2002 and may be closed still this year. Pratini stated, through a spokesperson, that there are 400 restaurants in the Asian country whose names may be translated to "Brazilian barbecue," although they do not use the characteristic Brazilian all you can eat system.
