Middle East Buys Beef
BRAZIL - Bovine meat exports from the Brazilian state, Mato Grosso, to the Middle East in October grew 41 per cent in comparison with September. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain and Lebanon were the leading buyers.
7 December 2009
1 minute read
The rate is equivalent to the sale of 986,000 kilograms more beef to the Arab countries, according to the Brazil Arab News Agency.
Luis Carlos Meister, cattle breeding consultant to the Agriculture and Cattle Breeding Federation of the State of Mato Grosso (Femato), believes that this expansion was driven by government purchases from Arab countries in order to replenish inventories. From January to October this year, bovine meat sales to the Middle East totalled US$ 62.11 million.
In comparison with September, Mr Meister underscored that during part of the month, the Arab countries were observing the Ramadan fast, which naturally led to a decrease in the region’s beef imports.
The Femato consultant also informed that, from January to September 2009, Mato Grosso exported 133,000 tonnes of beef to the Middle East, 35.5 per cent less than in the same period of 2008. According to Mr Meister, beef exports were harmed by the crisis, but he believes that the recovery that took place in October should be sustained.
Mr Meister said that the Middle East is an important market for Mato Grosso, due to the fact that it “is a large consumer market, [it buys] large volumes and has high purchasing power."
TheCattleSite News Desk
