The eleven Brazilian producers of cattle beef that participated in the Gulfood, the largest food sector fair in the Middle East, which ended yesterday, February 22, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, have already closed deals at the event.
"The fair has been very good. It was not lightly that we decided to invest in Dubai, it is a growing market," stated Antonio Jorge Camardelli, executive director at the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec), which organized their participation in the fair.
According to him, Brazil is currently the greatest supplier of cattle beef to the Emirates. Last year, shipments of the Brazilian product to the Arab country generated US$ 35.5 million, against US$ 20.4 million in 2005.
In the last four years, Brazilian exports of cattle beef to the Emirates have grown over 500%, according to figures supplied by the Abiec. To further promote the product in Dubai, the organization offered on Monday, February 19, a barbecue to businessmen, government authorities and journalists.
The barbecue, which was preceded by a workshop given by the Abiec, included 260 guests, among them the secretary general of Municipalities in the Emirates, Jassim M. Bin Darwesh, the Brazilian ambassador to Dubai, Flávio Saffa, and Abiec president Marcus Vinícius Pratini de Morais.
Around 900 kilograms of halal cattle beef and various fruit juices, offered by the companies associated to the Brazilian Fruit Institute (Ibraf), which also participated in the Gulfood, were offered to those present.
Camardelli and Darwesh, responsible for the General Secretariat of Municipalities, which brings together all the city halls in the Emirates, and inspects the food distributed around the country, also had the opportunity to discuss some technical aspects of imports of Brazilian cattle beef.
"As Dubai is a free zone, there is need for inspection to maintain the quality of the Brazilian beef shipped. This way, we avoid problems," stated Camardelli, who should get in contact with the secretary general again in the future.
The Brazilian companies that export cattle beef and are at the fair are Bertin, Mataboi, Goiascarne, Arantes, Marfrig, Cooperfrigu, Quatro Marcos, Frigoestrela, Minerva, Independência, União do Iguatemi and Friboi.
Apart from them, another 12 companies and sector associations are participating in the fair – among them the Ibraf and the Brazilian Poultry Exporters Association (Abef).
Promoted since 1987, Gulfood, which is at its 12th edition, is considered the most important business platform in the food, beverage, hotel and restaurant service and equipment sectors in the region. The fair is turned to producers, suppliers and distributors in the food sector all around the world.
Last year the event brought together 2,173 companies from 70 countries and attracted over 32,000 visitors from 146 countries. Apart from delegations from the Gulf, the event also receives businessmen from Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, India, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, among others.
Anba – www.anba.com.br
