The companies that are participating in the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) projects exported US$ 8.8 billion from January to June this year. The target for 2008 is US$ 11.9 billion, that is, in 6 months of work 73.7% of the forecasted total has been reached.
"In comparison with 2007, there was growth of 11.63%. This is very significant growth," stated Rogério Bellini, Project Management manager at the agency.
The number of companies operating with agency support has also grown. In the first half of this year, Apex-Brasil assisted 4,973 organizations through its projects. An increase of 30.8% over the number of companies assisted in the same period in 2007.
For every US$ 1.00 spent by the Apex, US$ 59.43 were generated in greater exports. "Our target was to generate US$ 6.4 per dollar spent. We did very well, generating almost eight times more," he celebrates.
Apex also expanded the number of sectors in its project list. From January to June 2008, 62 sectors were supported, 24% more than the number of sectors reached in the same period in 2007. "We have already serviced 62 of the 68 economic sectors in the country. It is probable that up to the end of the year we may reach 100%," he guarantees.
In the period from January to June 2008, the agency promoted 305 events, or 50.8% of the 600 events forecasted for the whole year. "The result shows that the agency should probably exceed the forecasted target, as the number of events and also those of greater importance are in the second half of the year," he said.
Among them, Bellini points out Sial 2008, a food and beverage sector fair to take place in France, between October 19th and 23rd, and Index, the largest furniture and decoration sector fair in the Middle East, to take place between December 3rd and 7th this year, in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
"At Sial we will have a space of 3,000 square meters. And to Index we should take over 40 companies, to show their products in a space of 1,200 square meters," he says.
Anba
