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 (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 is also participating 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 also 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 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 twelve companies and sector associations are participating in the fair - among them the Ibraf and the Brazilian Poultry Exporters Association (Abef).

Source: Brazil-Arab News Agency