Dubai – The world’s leading meat processing company, Brazil’s JBS is keen on increasing its presence in the Middle East. This Wednesday (26th), at the Gulfood fair in Dubai, BS global chairman Wesley Batista told ANBA that the company is looking to increase the share of poultry exports in its overall revenues, and within this industry the Middle East is a priority. The region is Brazil’s premier chicken export target.

He said JBS plans on increasing its presence in the region over the next few years. In quarter three, 2013, the company posted R$ 24.2 billion in revenues. Export revenues stood at US$ 3 billion, and sales to the Middle East fetched US$ 265 million.

“There is no question that we have a tremendous focus on this region as concerns the company’s poultry sales expansion plan. The Middle East is a priority to us. We want to expand our presence in the region, to build our brand and to sell more product. We do no plan on operating locally, but rather to increase our sales and invest in our brands,” said Batista.

The businessman acknowledged the fact that another Brazil-based company, BRF, which owns of brands Sadia and Perdigão, is strong and well-established in the Middle East, but he does not believe the competitor’s being present will get in the way of his plans. “Sadia has been here for many years now, and they are quite strong in the Middle East. [BRF] is the leading Brazilian company in the Middle East, but we can grow too, and BRF is not our biggest challenge in the region. There is room for us to grow,” he said.

One of the company’s brands is Seara, whose products are on display at JBS’ Gulfood stand, and which was acquired last year from the meat company Marfrig. Other items in the company’s portfolio which are being offered to Arabs are the brands Swift, Friboi, Maturatta, Cabana Las Lillas, Pilgrim’s, Gold Kist Farms, Frangosul, LeBon, Pena Branca, Rezende, and Fiesta.

According to Batista, poultry sales to the Middle East and North Africa are on the way up, and should remain so for the next few months. On the other hand, beef sales have dropped because the Gulf’s leading buyer, Saudi Arabia, has embargoed imports of the product from Brazil.

In late 2012, the Brazilian government announced that an animal that died in the state of Paraná, in 2010, carried the causative agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, aka “mad cow disease,” although the animal did not develop the condition, and died from unrelated causes.

Several companies, including Saudi, banned imports of Brazilian beef. Most of them have reversed the decision, but not the Saudis. The Brazilian and Saudi governments are in talks to resume sales.

The executive believes now is the time to step up poultry exports, even though there are no set targets with regard to market share or brand presence. he said he wants his company to have a strong presence in the leading Middle Eastern markets, especially Saudi and Egypt.

Batista also said the Gulfood is a “very good” fair, considering the visibility it affords, and not only in the Gulf. “This is a very good, highly relevant fair, because Dubai is in the ‘middle of the world,’ and as such it attracts clients from emerging countries in Asia, like China and India, as well as European ones.”

*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum

São Paulo – The Brazilian confectionery industry is focusing on the foreign market this year. The launch of an international website in three languages is one of the bets for promoting the sweets overseas. Also, the industry is investing on product innovation and on packaging labelled in foreign languages in order to boost exports.

“The industry is beginning to invest more and more in innovation. We are the world’s third largest confectionery industry,” says Rodrigo Solano, the Export manager for the Brazilian Cocoa and Confectionery Manufacturers Association (Abicab). In terms of production and sales, Brazil is second only to the United States and Germany.

Solano says Abicab and the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brazil) are developing a strategy named Brazil Beyond Sugar for showcasing the country’s confectionery industry at foreign markets.

“Brazil is known as a major sugar exporting country, and we want to show the world what we do with all this sugar. All the more so because Brazilian cane-based sugar is different than the beet-based sugar made abroad; sugar made from cane is sweeter,” he says.

In November last year, Abicab launched its international website. Available in Arabic, English and Spanish, the site has had 17,500 page views so far. Most of the hits, including the three versions, originated from Germany, the United States, Italy, China and France.

Among Arab countries, the site had the most viewers in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya, Algeria and the United Arab Emirates. Solano explains that although they rank low on the list of visitors, when combined, the Arabs account for a significant portion of interested parties. “The Arab countries combined rank right below Germany,” he says.

The news on the website will be updated on a fortnightly basis, but the contents are renewed more frequently, including recipes, information on events and on the Brazilian industry. The address is www.sweetbrasil.org.br.

Exports

In 2013, the Brazilian confectionery industry exported 118,000 tonnes, down 3% from 2012, and grossing US$ 291.5 million. “The industry is restructuring. We are seeing a slowdown, as are all other industries,” says the Abicab manager regarding the decline in foreign sales.

He notes, however, that companies are working to offset the decline in sales. “There is a trend towards innovation, premium products and nutraceutics (items with nutritional properties). There are 300 flavours to explore in Brazil. It is highly likely we will see a healthy recovery,” he says.

However, Solano declines to make any forecasts concerning exports in 2014. “This year is a big question mark. The scenario remains highly volatile, and it will all hinge on the companies’ development and the response they will get from the world. I am very optimistic; some of our associates are carrying out aggressive actions targeting the foreign market,” he says.

The packaging is also a part of the sales strategy. “Almost all enterprises include translations into Arabic on their labels. The packaging is being completely adapted to the foreign market,” says Solano, noting that some companies are no longer exporting packaging in Portuguese with translations into other languages, and are opting instead to offer labels entirely written in the target languages.

Fairs and World Cup

For this year, Abicab has a few events in store for foreign buyers. During the World Cup, for instance, the association will bring six importers to have a close look at the Brazilian confectionery industry.

Fairs are also a part of Abicab’s international strategy. The organization is taking eight companies to the Gulfood, a trade show due from the 23rd to the 27th this month in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. They are: Docile, Dori, Embaré, Garoto, Jazam, Harald, Peccin and Riclan.

In November, the association will take the companies to the Sweets and Snacks Middle East, also held in Dubai. “We are noticing that companies regard the Middle East as a key strategic market. The fairs in Dubai are often more action-packed than others, and this attracts our associates,” he says.

In 2013, the Middle East, including non-Arab countries in the region, accounted for 3% of the industry’s exports, having imported a combined 4,400 tonnes, up 4.2% from 2012.

*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum

São Paulo – Brazilian associations of beef, poultry and pork exporters will work to open up new markets. The goal is to boost exports of these meats by a million tonnes. Last year, 5.652 million tonnes were shipped from Brazil, i.e. the additional volume will represent a 17.7% increase in shipped volume.

The target was set this week at a meeting between the chairmen of the Brazilian Poultry Union (Ubabef), Francisco Turra, and of the Brazilian Meat Exporting Industries Association (Abiec), Antônio Camardelli, the director of the Brazilian Pork Producers and Exporters Association (Abipecs), Jurandi Soares, the executive secretary of the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Ricardo Schaefer, the international relations director to the Secretariat for Foreign Trade (Secex), Marcio Lima, and the chairman of the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), Maurício Borges.

“The target was proposed by the secretary [Ricardo Schaefer]. There is no deadline for it, but the target is feasible in terms of entering markets which are now closed off to us,” explains Ricardo Santin, the Markets director for Ubabef, who also attended the meeting held at the organization’s headquarters in Paulo.

Santin says the number of additional tonnes to be exported for each type of meat was not set, but that the poultry industry’s target for this year is shipping 4 million tonnes abroad. Last year, poultry exports from Brazil stood at 3.891 million tonnes.

The Ubabef Markets director notes that the industry’s goals include entering markets such as Indonesia and Malaysia, which buy halal chicken just like the Arab countries, and beginning to sell to India, which does not import Brazilian poultry, even though said imports are allowed by the local government.

Regarding Arab countries, Santin explains that since most of the Middle East countries already buy Brazilian chicken, the goal in the region is to increase the competitiveness of Brazilian product. “We want to work on our sales profile by selling more value-added products. The Middle East ranks among our best clients. We will carry out actions to strengthen and improve our competitive edge,” he says.

According to Santin, the meeting this week was the first step towards increasing meat exports. “Each of the associations will outline their priorities to the government and then we will devise joint actions. This is a tandem effort from the meats industry and the government, in order to boost exports, “he explains.

During the World Cup in Brazil, Apex will promote two export-oriented actions: the Buyer Project, for bringing importers to Brazil, and the Image Project, for bringing journalists. “We are going to portray an image of Brazil that is not only about soccer, but also of quality and sustainability,” said Santin.

*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum

 São Paulo – Globoaves, a producer of fertile eggs, one day-old cockerels, and poultry based in the Brazilian state of Paraná, is using this year’s edition of Dubai’s Gulfood fair to meet old customers and seek out new contacts. According to export manager Eduardo Kaefer, going to the fair is a chance to build “closer ties” with customers, go on technical visits, and look for new deals in the Middle East.

Meat exports account for 45% of the company’s revenues, and out of those, the Middle East accounts for 50%. Even the world economic crisis, which started in 2008 and still plagues wealthy and emerging countries alike, has failed to detract from the company’s relations with clients in the region.

“There was a slowdown in some countries, for different reasons, and not exclusively due to the international crisis. However, the Arab countries have always remained strong business partners, and our meat sales were not impacted in any significant way,” says Kaefer.

Since it first started exporting to the Middle East, in 2006, the company has been attending Gulfood. There, says the manager, Globoaves has the opportunity to get close to its clients. “Our goal in 2014, just as in past years, is to meet our clients, most of all so we can improve the services we provide. We are aware of the fact that in our line of business, making deliveries the way customers want us to, and meeting deadlines is as important as product quality. The Middle East is a market where relationship and trust are key in a negotiation,” he says.

The company, which is a member of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, always goes to the fair with the Brazilian Poultry Union (Ubabef) and the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil). The 2014 edition of the Gulfood, due from February 23rd to 27th, will feature 77 companies at the stand organized by the Apex in partnership with the Arab Brazilian Chamber. During the event, technical visits will be paid to supermarkets in Dubai.

Globoaves was founded in 1976 as an animal food shop in Cascavel, Paraná. The company has since diversified its operations. Currently, it produces fertile eggs, sells one day-old chicks, makes animal food, operates with biotechnology, and slaughters chicken. The company posts annual revenues exceeding R$ 1 billion (US$ 414 million) and owns 90 hatcheries, five cold storage chambers, ten incubators and eight animal feed manufacturing plants.

*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum

São Paulo – Brasília and Copenhagen are the two finalists to host the 8th World Water Forum, in 2018. The event is attended by government officials, business delegates and researchers who convene to discuss the best ways to use and conserve water, trends, needs, and alternatives for making fresh water available to all people. In case Brasília wins, it will be the first time a city in the Southern Hemisphere hosts the forum.

The Federal District governor Agnelo Queiroz has said this Tuesday (11th), at the headquarters of the Brazilian Infrastructure and Base Industries Association (ABDIB), in São Paulo, that the federal capital has the chance to show that it is a city committed to sustainability. Brazil, in turn, could showcase its successful water resource management projects.

The advantages of hosting the forum are manifold, ranging from the actual debate to the positive image that stems from displaying the sustainability [of Brasília], which is an important asset for attracting investment,” he said. Queiroz said Brazil possesses vast quantities of fresh water, but needs to manage different realities within its territory. Water is abundant in the North and South, but scarce in some areas of the Northeast. The theme of Brazil’s candidacy, “Sharing Water,” was designed to discuss ways to use water as pertains to consumption, food production, nature, and in regions with different characteristics and degrees of availability.

Queiroz said Brazil’s strengths in water resource management include advanced laws, master plans specifically targeting water, the National Water Agency (ANA, in the Portuguese acronym), and the fact that water is the main source of electric power. On the other hand, he noted that the country must expand its sewage treatment network.

Importance

According to ABDIB vice president Newton de Lima Azevedo, the forum is important to other Southern Hemisphere countries as well, such as Latin American countries. “The region is still underrepresented when it comes to debating water usage, and is still struggling when it comes to managing its water resources,” said Azevedo, who is one of the World Water Council’s 36 governors, the organization in charge of hosting the forum. The governors will vote to choose the host city.

The next voting session and the announcement of the winning city will take place in South Korea, which will host the forum on February 25th, 2015. Out of the 36 governors, nine are from the Americas, 12 are from Asia, three are from Africa, and 12 are from Europe. The first edition of the event was held in Marrakech, Morocco, in 1997. In 2000, Hague, in the Netherlands, hosted the event, as did Kyoto, Japan, in 2003, Mexico City (2006), Istanbul, Turkey (2009), and Marseille, in France (2012).

For the 2018 edition, Colombia, Syria, Qatar, Russia, Denmark, Brazil, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Myanmar expressed interested in hosting the forum, but only Brazil, Russia, Qatar and Denmark have presented actual bids. Out of these four countries, only Brazil’s Brasília and Denmark’s Copenhagen are finalists. The government of Brasília is expecting to receive 30,000 people during the Forum in case it wins. According to the governor, the city already boasts the necessary infrastructure for hosting the event.

*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum

São Paulo – Andacco, a footwear manufacturing company based in the state of Minas Gerais, is stepping up its sales to the Arab market. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Libya and Kuwait account for as much as 10% of the company’s exports.

“We have already seen [our exports to the Arabs] go up by 20% this year, as a result of deals closed at [industry] fairs,” says Export manager Leandro Oliveira. He explains that the company sells to distributors in Arab countries. “They come to the fairs, place the orders, we ship the product and they distribute it,” he says.

The top-selling items are men’s shoes. “Our product is leather-made and we do not use swine leather, not even the lining; the lining is made out of bovine leather,” says Oliveira, adding that the brands shoes are handmade.

Currently, the Andacco plant puts out 4,000 pairs of shoes per day, including men’s and women’s models. Of these, 40% are shipped abroad, to 22 different countries. The leading targets are Russia, the United States, Chile, and Bolivia.

Oliveira posits that Arabs are being attracted into buying due to the export-friendly exchange rates of the past two years, i.e. the high price of the US dollar against Brazil’s real. “I hadn’t seen as many Arabs as in the 2014 Couromoda fair in a long time,” says the manager of the leather fashion fair held last month in São Paulo.

Apart from Couromoda, Andacco does business with Arab clients on a regular basis at Francal, another fair in São Paulo, and at Expo Riva Schuh, in Riva del Garda, Italy. The company is preparing to go back to attending Micam, a shoe fair in Milan.

In order to take its Middle East deals to an even higher level, the company became associated with the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and hired a company specializing in footwear to shop for new markets in the region.

“The aim is to determine the acceptance of our products on the Arab market, the outlook for new deals, to work on developing the market, and that includes taking part in local fairs,” Oliveira explains.

Headquartered in the city of São Sebastião do Paraíso, Andacco is a part of the leather and show conglomerate Cacique, established in 1967, and currently employing 600 people.

Contact
Andacco
Tel.: +55 (35) 3531-1453
Email: export@andacco.com.br
Website: www.andacco.com.br

*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum

Meknes – The city of Meknes, in eastern Morocco, is the main agricultural center in the country. “We have the greatest food hub in Morocco,” emphasized Hassan Bahi, Director of the Meknes-Tafilalet Regional Investment Center. “This is a region with great biodiversity potential,” he stated this Wednesday (29), in an interview with a group of Brazilian journalists.

To promote the sector in the region, the government recently created an industrial park, called Agropolis, where companies in the sector are beginning to settle in, such as the Swiss bio-fertilizers company, Elefante Verde.

The area, currently under the first phase of development that covers 130 hectares, will hold research and development laboratories, as part of the Green Morocco Plan, created in 2008 to double the sector’s income by 2020. The government’s aim, according to Abdelkarim Ouahchi, Investment Consultant, is to expand the park to 450 hectares. Currently, 15 companies are preparing to set shop at Agropolis.

Already established at the park is Agro-pôle Olivier, an olive oil production and export promotion center for the region of Meknes. “Olives are an opportunity for business between Brazil and Morocco, because Brazil is an olive oil importer,” recalled Noureddine Ouazzani, who is in charge of the center.

The region of Meknes currently produces 120,000 tons of olive oil per year. “We account for 60% of Morocco’s olive oil and we export 90% of what we produce,” said Ouazzani. “Our olive oils are intense, with a fruit flavor, which are most appreciated by consumers,” he evaluated.

According to Ouazzani, the region produces various types of olives. “We have not only the Moroccan type, but also Greek, Spanish and Italian. In Meknes we are capable of producing the best quality olive oil, with international standards,” he emphasized.

Currently, most of the Moroccan olive oil is exported to the United States, but the country has an eye on the Brazilian market. “Morocco could have a share of that market, particularly in the high-end olive oil segment,” stated Ouazzani.

According to him, only 5% of the world population consumes olive oil. “The potential market is of 95%,” he stated. In Morocco, the annual olive oil consumption is of only two kilos per person. In Italy, this figure reaches 19 kilos, while in Greece the average is 23 kilos per person per year.

Dairy products

Meknes also hosts one of the four factories of Centrale Laitière, a branch of Danone in Morocco. With a 65% market share, the company produces 800,000 tons of dairy products per year, of which 220,000 tons at the plant visited by ANBA alone.

 In 2014, the Meknes plant expects to produce 249,000 tons. “The greatest part of our production is pasteurized milk, which is a product that sells every day,” says the Factory Director, Abdellah Noau,

At the plant, which counts on 274 employees, the entire process is automated and investments are ever increasing. In 2013 investments added up to US$ 4.28 million (35.25 million dirhams), and the amount this year is expected to reach US$ 14.59 million (120 million dirhams), due to a plant expansion.

The factory also produces many types of yogurt and dairy beverages, and the company believes in the potential for increase in domestic consumption. In Morocco, the annual milk consumption per person is of 62.7 kilos. In Finland, country with the highest milk consumption, this figure reaches 150 kilos per person per year.

Brazilian brakes

During the visit to Meknes, ANBA also met an entrepreneur interested in importing auto parts. Saaoud Abdeslam, from Enterprise Saaoud, said he is currently negotiating with Fras-Le, from the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and a branch of road equipment manufacturer Randon, to import and distribute Brazilian brakes.

“I have visited Brazil five times. I want to first develop business in Morocco, and then take it to Algeria and other countries in North Africa,” said Abdeslam.

*The journalist travelled at the invitation of the Moroccan Investment Development Agency (AMDI)

*Translated by Silvia Lindsey

São Paulo – The Brazilian products being exhibited at the Khartoum International Fair, which started this Thursday (30) in the Sudanese capital city, are catching the eye of the public. According to the Business and Markets Manager at the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rafael Abdulmassih, who is in the country, the space reserved for Brazil is always busy, with visits by consumers and entrepreneurs alike. The exhibit is open to the general public. The Arab Chamber is responsible for the Brazilian stand at the fair, together with the Brazilian Foreign Office, Itamaraty.

One of the exhibiting firms is Fame, manufacturer of electric showers. The device that heats the water is built into the shower, while in Sudan there is an apparatus separated from the shower, which many times is installed on the outside of the home. According to Abdulmassih, as well as the Sudanese, entrepreneurs from other countries, such as Jordan and Egypt, have stopped by the Brazilian stand to ask for information about the product.

According to the manager, the hair cosmetics by Kans BR have also attracted attention from the public in Khartoum. Businessmen want to know if the product is available in the Sudanese market. Ever since she landed in Sudan, the owner of Kans BR, Katia Timani, has been showing her products to professionals in beauty salons. On Thursday (30), she visited a market and a wholesale warehouse in the city of Omdurman.

The Brazilian delegation visited other places, apart from the fair, to evaluate the local market, such as the Afra Mall and supermarket Sena Mart. According to Abdulmassih, who is representing the Arab Chamber in the trip together with the entity’s Business Executive Rafael Solimeo, there are other visits scheduled for the group. The other company participating in the Brazilian stand is CTC, which imports agricultural machinery from Brazil and represents them at the fair.

The exhibit is taking place at the Sudanese Freezone, in six pavilions, in an open area with entertainment activities. The fair was inaugurated by the Deputy Prime-Minister of Sudan, Bakri Hassan Salih, and the Brazilian space received a visit from the Secretary General of the Sudanese Employers Association, Bakri Yousef. The Brazilian ambassador in Khartoum, Antonio Carlos do Nascimento Pedro, visited the stand with Minister Counselor Patrícia Lima, and will meet with Brazilian entrepreneurs in the coming days.

Rabat – Morocco wishes to increase the country’s agricultural GDP to US$ 17 billion (140 billion dirhams) by 2020. In 2013, the sector generated US$ 11.56 billion (95 billion dirhams). A strategy created in 2008 by the government, the Green Morocco Plan, aims to promote Moroccan agribusiness and foresees new investments of US$ 1.1 billion (9 billion dirhams) by the end of the decade.

“There is an effort in Morocco to invest in the agricultural sector as the driving force of the national economy,” stated Mohammed Elguerrouj, Director General of the Agricultural Development Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of Morocco, this Wednesday (29) to a group of Brazilian journalists. When it was created, the objective of the Green Morocco Plan was to double the agricultural sector’s revenues, which that year was of US$ 8.5 billion (70 billion dirhams).

The plan is an integrated effort that also involves the Ministries of the Interior, Finance and Industry. Currently, the main agricultural goods produced in Morocco are oranges, milk, beef and vegetables.

In order to expand production, Morocco started leasing land for agriculture projects. Participation is open for both Moroccan and foreign investors. Up to now, 100,000 hectares of lands have been leased and another 600,000 hectares should be leased by 2020.

In order to participate, interested parties should offer projects that promote the sector’s development. According to Abderrahim Benyassine, Partnership and Associations Director of the Moroccan agency, the quality of the project is more important to win the bidding process than the amount the company is willing to invest. The country is seeking projects with added value, with the possibility of developing the work of local farmers and small property owners, for example.

Among the countries that have invested in projects in Morocco are the United Arab Emirates, France, Portugal and Spain. The tenders, however, have attracted the attention of investors from other countries, such as the United States, Belgium, Argentina, Gabon, Senegal, Tunisia, South Africa and Australia.

There have been 31 foreign projects approved by the program, with a total land lease of 7,800 hectares. The leased land may be used for a period of more than 40 years, with the possibility for contract renovation, and the conditions for participating in the process are the same for Moroccans and foreigners.

Another product that sparks the interest of foreign investors, according to Benyassine, is argan oil, used in cosmetics. “Argan oil is produced only here, where it is certified and then sold around the world,” he emphasized.

When questioned about what could Morocco have to offer Brazilians, since Brazil has an abundance of fertile lands, Benyassine noted the advantages his countries poses for exports. “There is a strong demographic growth in Africa, and the workforce here, trained workforce, costs less than in Europe,” he stated. Also, Morocco has an association agreement with the European Union, which Brazil does not have.

*The journalist travelled at the invitation of the Moroccan Investment Development Agency (AMDI)

*Translated by Silvia Lindsey

São Paulo – The Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) expects to more than triple the business turnover generated during the 2014 Carnival Project in relation to the 2013 edition of the event. Last year, participating companies generated an estimated US$ 104 million in business, and this year’s edition, to be held from February 24 to March 11, has the potential to reach US$ 340 million in exports during the 12 months counting from the start of the program.

The project exists since 2009 and consists in inviting importers from different countries for business meetings in Brazil, ending with the samba carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro, at the agency’s box. “It is a type of platform that helps sell Brazilian products,” said the Relationship Marketing executive manager at Apex, Jacy Braga.

According to him, the program’s differential is indeed the fact that it is tied with the unique Brazilian carnival festivities, that is, foreign entrepreneurs visit Brazil not only for business, but also to see a cultural particularity. Obviously it is not the only one since, as well as the parade, they will try typical foods and beverages, listen to the music, etc. “It is our Brazilianity turned to business,” observed Braga. This type of action is what he calls “relationship marketing”.

For the 2014 edition, 314 people from over 50 countries were invited, according to Apex. They are importers and “opinion makers”. Among them are representatives from Arab companies in Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

The main thing this year, however, is on the Brazilian side, which involves 45 companies and 27 sector entities. Previously the project was organized only with associations, which defined the agenda and invited the participants. Now the agency has opened space for the companies to do so individually and, consequently, has expanded the number of participants. Hence the expectation for more business.

The schedule varies according to the company or entity and may include business roundtables, technical visits, lectures and seminars, in a total of 159 activities around the country.

The initiative is promoting goods such as foods, beverages, pet accessories, software, biotechnology, medical, dentistry and hospital equipment, medication, cosmetics, jewelry and costume jewelry, shoes, textiles, sporting equipment, machinery, electronic devices, plastic, construction materials, furniture, handicrafts, works of art, as well as services such as design, TV productions, and franchises, among others.

The project is organized by Apex with the participating companies and entities. According to Braga, the companies are responsible for identifying prospect importers and covering travelling expenses.

*Translated by Silvia Linsey

São Paulo – Global foreign direct investments (FDI) flows reached US$ 1.46 trillion last year, an increase by 11% in relation to 2012, according to the data released this Tuesday (28) in the Global Investment Trends Monitor, published by the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The total is still below the record US$ 2 trillion registered in 2007, but is closer to the average observed in the years prior to the international financial crisis of 2008.

FDI in developing countries, however, was record-breaking in 2013. Investments reached the US$ 759 billion, that is, 52% of the total. There was an increase by 6.2% in relation to the previous year, driven mainly by Latin America and Caribbean and Africa, although emerging Asia is the bloc of developing nations that most received investments in nominal terms.

Investments in Latin America added up to US$ 294 billion, an increase by 18% in comparison to 2013. It was the fifth consecutive year of increases in the region, as per the UNCTAD report. According to the organization, the performance was influenced by the acquisition of the Mexican brewery Grupo Modelo for US$ 18 billion by the Belgium-Brazilian conglomerate AB InBev, which is the union of the Brazilian group Ambev, the Belgium Interbrew and North American Anheuser Bush.

Brazil, nonetheless, is still the main FDI receiver in the region, with US$ 63 billion last year, 3.9% less than in 2012. The information recently published by the Brazilian Central Bank (BC), however, is slightly different, indicating FDI flows greater than US$ 64 billion, with a 2.9% drop in relation to the previous year.

In global terms, Brazil was the seventh greatest destination for investments in 2013, whereas in 2012 it occupied the fifth position. The UNCTAD report emphasizes that, despite the decline, the sum received by the Brazilian economy is still “significant”, having followed “strong growth” and “historical highs” in previous years.

According to UNCTAD, expectations related to the end of quantitative easing in the United States, where the Federal Reserve injects dollars in the country’s economy, led to some volatility in the international market. The impact was strongly felt in some emerging countries, which suffered currency depreciation, stock market declines and foreign capital withdrawal. Brazil fits in with this scenario.

Africa

FDI flows in Africa also increased, by 6.8%, to US$ 56.3 billion. The highlight of North Africa was Morocco, which received US$ 3.5 billion, an increase by 24% in relation to the previous year. According to the UNCTAD report, it was the only Arab country in the continent to register a “solid growth”. The organization noted, however, that “there are signs that investors are ready to return to the region, with many big cross-border deals targeting Egypt.”

The Middle East, however, tells another tale. There was a decline in FDI flows for the fifth consecutive year. This time, investments decreased by 20% to US$ 38 billion. There were significant FDI reductions in the main destinations in the region: Saudi Arabia, by 19% to US$ 9.9 billion, and Turkey by 15% to US$ 11 billion.

“Turkey witnessed virtually a total absence of large FDI deals. In addition, the worsening political instability in many parts of the region have caused uncertainty and negatively affected investment,” reports UNCTAD.

The organization also highlighted the investments in the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), the main emerging economies in the world, of US$ 322 billion, or 22% of the global FDI flow and twice the sum registered before the 2008 crisis. From 2012 to 2013, there was an increase by 21%. The greatest increase in all, by 126%, was registered in South Africa, and Brazil, which registered a decline in investments, was at the bottom of the list of bloc members in terms of performance from one year to the next.

Investments in developed economies, in turn, increased by 12% and reached US$ 576 billion, indicating a recovery process, according to the study. The sum, however, is still 44% lower than the record reached in 2007. The share of rich countries in global FDI flows, which was once the greatest, now adds up to 39%. FDI in the United States is still declining, but the country once again heads the list with highest foreign resources.

*Translated by Silvia Lindsey

Rabat – With over 40 companies in an area of 130,000 square meters, Technopolis is a space dedicated to high-technology foreign companies, in the fields of electronics, biotechnology, nanotechnology and other services, only a few minutes away from the Moroccan capital city center. Created in 2008, the park will undergo two expansion phases and is seeking new partners interested in setting shop, including Brazilian companies.

“We have two industrial zones. One of them is a free zone, open to companies that export at least 8% of their production. The other follows the normal legislation and is open to those interested in establishing themselves here,” explained Hnya Brick, Project and Development Director at Technopolis, to a group of Brazilian journalists who visited the place this Monday (27). The free area inside Technopolis is the most recent in the country, set up less than one year ago, and the first companies in this part of the park should be established by the end of 2014.

Brick notes that one of the main attracting factors for companies to come to Technopolis are the human resources from the universities located in the region. “We have partnerships with three universities, one private, the International University of Rabat, and two public, University of Souissi and University Mohammed V,” she emphasized. With the partnership, as well as technicians and engineers, the companies may also benefit from these institutions’ research and development laboratories.

Among the companies that have already established themselves at Technopolis are known names in Brazil, such as Nestlé, Dell, Accenture, HP, Bosch and BNP Paribas. The procedure for moving into Technopolis is quite flexible, and companies may customize their contracts with the park administration, choosing whether to purchase or rent the land, negotiate building construction and the duration period.

The Moroccan state-owned long-term investment fund manager, CDG (Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion), is responsible for the Technopolis construction costs. According to Brick, the companies at the park do not reveal their revenues, but information from the Technopolis website indicates that from it’s opening until 2015, the park is expected to contribute with over US$ 606 million to the Moroccan GDP.

The second phase of the expansion project includes the construction of another 13,000 square meters. Currently 8,000 people work at Technopolis.

Automotive systems

One of the firms to establish themselves at Technopolis is Lear Corporation, of automotive systems, particularly seating and electrical distribution, whose clients include the great German carmakers. The North American company opened their Moroccan plant at the Rabat park in 2011.

“In our first year revenues added up to US$ 20 million; in 2012, US$ 100 million; last year we reached US$ 150 million and we expect to sell US$ 250 million this year,” revealed Aissam Chaouki, the Rabat Factory Manager.

Chaouki says that 70% of the Moroccan production is sold to BMW. Other clients of the Arab branch include Volkswagen, Jaguar, Audi, Land Rover and Renault-Nissan.

“We chose Morocco because of the country’s economic development and political stability. From here we are able to supply the main carmakers in Europe,” he emphasized. In august last year, the company opened a second plant in the company, in the city of Kenitra.

An interesting fact about Lear in Morocco is that of the 700 employees working at the factory, over 90% are women. “They are more precise,” says the manager. Among the engineers, 15% are women.

Investment opportunities

With two main trade partners, France and Spain, Morocco wishes to diversify the country’s investment sources and aims to include countries like Brazil. Among the strategies the Arab country is employing to attract Brazilian attention is to promote business opportunities using the national press. The government is also seeking to approach Brazilian entrepreneurs, by organizing workshops and a business trip with Brazilian executives to Morocco, planned for this year.

“The message we are sending to Brazilians is that Africa is the future, it is a green field (to be developed), and we can help form partnerships between Brazilian and Moroccan companies,” stated Ahmed Fihri, General-Manager at the Moroccan Investment Development Agency (AMDI).

According to him, Morocco wishes to develop partnerships in sectors such as agribusiness, aerospace technology and renewable energy. “Morocco may be a platform to access other countries in the Middle East and North Africa,” said Fihri.

Driss Sekkat, Business Development Manager at the AMDI, noted the joint efforts of his agency with the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp). “The Chamber is doing an excellent job,” he stated, about the help offered by the entity in introducing the Brazilian market.

For the Brazilian ambassador in Rabat, Frederico Meyer, there are good business opportunities for Brazilians in Morocco. “Bombardier is here, and even so Royal Air Maroc purchased two Embraer 190 aircrafts,” he noted, referring to the Canadian and Brazilian jet companies. According to Meyer, Embraer’s representation in the fleet of the Moroccan company, which started direct flights between São Paulo and Casablanca at the end of 2013, may still increase.

“Royal Air Maroc announced last year it was planning to buy 10 to 15 airplanes. There are three competitors, the Russians, Canadians and Brazilians, and we are well set in the competition,” said Meyer.

*The journalist travelled at the invitation of the Moroccan Investment Development Agency (AMDI)

*Translated by Silvia Lindsey

São Paulo – If current deforestation rates persist in the coming years, 849 million hectares of green areas will be lost by 2050, according to a report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), launched this Friday (24) in Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum.

According to the report, called “Assessing Global Land Use: Balancing Consumption with Sustainable Supply”, the need to feed the population, which is growing, has led to 30% of the lands of the world being used for agriculture, which has resulted in degradation and biodiversity loss in many areas.

“Recognizing that land is a finite resource, we need to become more efficient in the ways we produce, supply and consume our land-based products. Recommendations from the report are meant to inform policy and contribute to on-going discussions on targets and indicators for sustainable resources management as the world charts a new course for sustainable development post-2015,” said the UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, when launching the report.

The report points out the need to balance consumption and sustainable food production. It offers methods that show countries if they are at sustainable consumption levels and suggests policies that may be adopted to reach this balance. According to the study, the increase in food demand in the developing countries and the search for biofuels affect the use of the land.

According to the UNEP, degradation of the lands already in use also leads producers to new areas, further increasing deforestation. With the increasing demand for land, therefore, prices tend to go up, with negative consequences for food safety.

*Translated by Sílvia Lindsey