November 30, 2021- The Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) has organized a seminar titled ‘Opportunities in Fresh Fruits Sector’ for a delegation from the Brazilian Fruit Growers and Export Association (Abrafrutas) in the UAE. The seminar organized in line with the initiatives to promote the potential of Brazil as fresh fruits supplier to the Arab countries was held at ABCC’s Dubai office in Jumeriah Lake Towers.

The presentations in the seminar covered important strategic points on the fresh fruits industry in Brazil and gave an overview of the industry to the participants. Some of the major topics discussed in the seminar were the organization of fresh fruits, strengths, and challenges of the fresh fruits industry in Brazil, implementation of quality inspection, evaluation, and monitoring. The seminar goal was to foster the growth to expand the growth of fruits industry in Brazil, which primarily exports melons, grapes, mangoes and limes to the Middle East and Africa, and fulfill the consumption demand for Brazilian fruits in the UAE.

The seminar was organized as part of Abrafrutas’ business mission to the UAE to enhance the trade relations of Brazilian exporters with the importers and retailers in the Middle East and participate in the world expo. Besides attending the seminar, the delegates also met with representatives from Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZA) as well as visited pavilions of Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Brazil at Expo 2020 Dubai to explore business prospects and visited hypermarkets and supermarkets in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to learn about the business trends in the UAE.

Osmar Chohfi, President of Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, said: “Agribusiness is a vital sector of the economy considering its role in food security, food safety, quality and sustainability. Being one of the largest fresh fruits producers in the world, Brazil has a multitude of opportunities for investors. It is also important to highlight the fact that the fruits industry in Brazil is closely aligned with the food habits and trends of the modern world that are associated with eating more fruits as part of clean healthy eating and for boosting immunity. The growth of the fruits sector in Brazil can also be attributed to the increased importance of food safety and traceability; organic food and ecological production, and environmental and social sustainability.”

“Brazil’s agribusiness sector has the potential to double its production while also maintaining the sustainability goals of the nation, such as prevention of deforestation and forest degradation. The seminar was organized in line with efforts to promote foreign investments in Brazil, by identifying business opportunities and promoting strategic partnerships. As the quality of Brazilian fruits is already well known in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE, we are confident that the seminar will further strengthen the export of Brazilian fruits to these nations. In 2020, the average revenue generated through fruits exports was USD 17,7 million, and until October of 2021, Brazil exported USD 14,7 million to Arab countries.” he added.

Brazil has the ideal tropical climate, geographical features, and fertile soil apt for growing fruits, and it is one of the largest exporters of fresh fruits including some of the exotic Brazilian fruits like jabuticaba and atemoia.

The seminar has showcased the robustness of the fresh fruits industry in Brazil and the immense opportunities for innovative technology, partnerships, and new business prospects in the industry. The growing demand for a diverse variety of exotic and seasonal fruits in the world, also contributes to the favorability of Brazil's fruits industry among investors.

The Brazilian companies which participated in the business mission include Amazon Polpas and Petruz Açaí, açaí & superfoods producer; Abacates do Brasil and The Tsuge Group, producer, processor and marketer of tropical varieties of Avocado; Be Fruit and Itacitrus, leading producer and exporter of fresh lemons; Fischer SA Agroindústria, leading exporters of apples; Forever 5, producer and global trader of lemons and mangoes; Ibacem Agricola Comércio Exportacão exporters of Mangoes and grapes; MBR Company, a major distributor of high quality fruits to trading partners and super market chains across the world; Oranga Foods, marketer of innovative products and natural powdered ingredients for food, beverages and supplements and TFruits

One of the key entities behind the business mission, Abrafrutas, is a non-profit association that aims to represent and promote the Brazilian fruits industry in the global market. Founded in 2014, Abrafrutas represents 85 per cent of the total fresh fruits exported by Brazil. In addition, it is responsible for the management of the “Frutas do Brasil” Sectorial Project, along with Apex-Brasil. Through its member companies, the association aims to improve sales, carry out institutional campaigns for publicity and commercial promotion.