Brazil’s giant food company Perdigão announced today that it intends to invest US$ 215 million next year in its Mineiros industrial complex, to be inaugurated in the midwestern Brazilian state of Goiás in March.
The money will be used in the expansion of the poultry slaughtering capacity of their factory in Nova Mutum, in the state of Mato Grosso, also in the midwest, and in the increase of the pork slaughter capacity in the Rio Verde plant, also in Goiás.
At the plant in Rio Verde, investment will also be turned to the installation of new lines for the production of processed products (ham, sausages, etc.), pizzas and also in logistics.
With the investment, Perdigão forecasts generation of 3,500 new jobs. This year, according to the company, a total of 1,500 jobs were generated, increasing the company’s total workforce to 37,700, 4% more than last year. These figures were disclosed in a company statement.
The organization also intends to operate stronger in the cattle beef sector and wants to build a slaughterhouse in Goiás. The site of the enterprise and the total to be invested will be defined in the first quarter of next year. The Perdigão objective is to export 80% of the production.
According to a company statement, the president at the organization, Nildemar Secches, believes that Perdigão revenues may reach US$ 2.8 billion. According to him, the increase in volumes traded should be 7% in the segment of meats. In the area of dairy products – Perdigão bought company Batávia, owner of the Batavo dairy product brand, in May this year -, the increase in sales was 12%.
For 2007, the company forecasts an increase of over 10% in the trade of meats. The organization also believes in growth of the chicken market, which dropped in 2006 due to a reduction in global consumption caused by avian flu.
Shoe Exports
Brazilian shoe sector exports totaled US$ 1.7 billion from January to November this year, almost the same total as that registered in the same period in 2005. According to figures disclosed yesterday, December 11, by the Brazilian Association of Shoe Manufacturers (Abicalçados), it is possible that the year should end with values similar to the US$ 1.886 billion of last year.
The greater participation of Brazilian shoes in greater added value niches and in potential markets this year was one of the main causes for the performance in the shoe sector to have remained at about the same levels as last year.
According to the president at Abicalçados, í‰lcio Jacometti, the results could have been more negative due to the appreciation of the Brazilian real against the US dollar, which caused increases in prices of Brazilian shoes on the foreign market.