3 April 2008

3 minute read

Africa

South America

BRAZIL - Space for both cheap and differentiated beef production in Libya has drawn interest from the foreign trade manager at the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association, Márcio Caparroz. The potential investment opportunities has led him in to the Arab country in order to gain a greater perspective on the local market.

Brazil wants to learn more about the beef market in Libya and started working on this target this week. Yesterday was the fist day of activities of the foreign trade manager of the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec), Márcio Caparroz, in the Arab country. Caparroz is in Libya to better understand the local market and to open more doors to Brazilian beef in the country. The visit of the executive is accompanied by the Market Development coordinator at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rodrigo Solano, and the analyst at the department, Marcus Vinicius.

They are also going to participate in Tripoli International Fair, which started today , in the Libyan capital, and in which the Arab Brazilian Chamber has a stand. Yesterday, Caparroz and the Arab Brazilian Chamber professionals met with the ambassador of Brazil to Tripoli, Luciano Ozório Rosa, at the offices of the Libyan Businessmen's Council, and visited the local retail sector, like supermarkets and butcher's shops. At the Council, Caparroz made contact with representatives of meat, poultry and animal feed companies. To those interested in buying Brazilian beef, the Abiec director gave an explanation as to how to reach Brazilian companies in the area.

According to Caparroz, the contacts made in the country up to yesterday show that in Libya there is both market for cheaper and more expensive and differentiated meats, with greater added value. He explained that for some time Brazil sold to the Libyans meats for hamburgers. In the country, the product was sold at butchers, which harmed the image of the Brazilian product, as the beef for hamburgers is tougher than that sold in cuts. For this reason, Caparroz believes that it is necessary for Brazil to prepare the product for the market to offer each sector the kind of article it requires.

"We also need to understand the local culture, how they do business," stated Caparroz to ANBA by telephone. This is also one of the objectives behind the visit of the Abiec representative to the Arab country. He is going to bring the information obtained during the trip to Brazilian producers. According to Solano, from the Chamber, it has already been possible to understand the retail profile in Libya. In the country, according to him, there are no large hypermarkets, as there are in Brazil. What operate in Libya are large street butcher's shops and butcher's shops in supermarkets. Most supermarkets, however, according to Solano, are medium and small.

"Here, great brokers import and distribute to the retail sector," stated Solano. One of the objectives of the Abiec activities in Libya is also to verify whether there are possibilities for direct export as, according to Caparroz, Brazil often sells to Libya through other countries. For this, one of the necessary steps, explained the foreign trade manager, is greater connection between the Libyan and Brazilian financial systems to simplify the guarantee of contracts abroad. In 2007, Brazil exported to Libya US$ 37 million in beef, or 19,000 tonnes.

Today, Tripoli International Fair began in Libya. The Brazilian covers an area of 54 square metres and will serve as a point of support for companies Friboi, in the beef sector and Grendene, a maker of shoes. The fair is multi sector. The Arab Chamber professionals will be at the stand to supply information about other productive sectors in Brazil. The fair generally brings together 2,000 exhibitors from 30 countries. A representative of the Association of the Manufacturers of Medical and Dental Products (Abimo) should also be in Libya starting next weekend to seek markets for sector products.

TheCattleSite News Desk