BRF is a major player in Brazil's Halal industry which has been exporting Halal food to the MENA region for decades. According to its vice-president for international operations, Patricio Rohner, BRF is considering possible acquisitions in Turkey.

As part of a closer relation to MENA countries, nine diplomats from the region (Palestine, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan, Egypt, Jordan, Libya and the Arab League), who are based in the Brazilian federal capital city Brasília, visited the city of Manaus, the capital city of the northern state of Amazonas.

Amazonas is the only state having a free trade zone and according to the Palestinian ambassador, Ibrahim Alzeben: "Those visits open room for ideas, partnerships and the possibility of exchanges and investments. During all these years, due to those visits, many projects and partnerships between Brazil and Arab countries have been initiated." Amazonas is the largest Brazilian state by area and its area is covered by the socalled Amazon Jungle.

On another note, the Brazilian embassy met with Kuwaiti importers to market fruits produced in Brazil and therefore fostering the import and commercialization of Brazilian fruits in Kuwait.

Demonstrating that Brazil is also a good market for products originating from the MENA region, the Egyptian group Al Shahed opened a branch in Brazil to be closer to its customers. The products are olives, olive oil and garlic.

This move by Al Shahed is the result of the free trade agreement between Egypt and Mercosur and also the result of the recent opening of the Brazilian market to Egyptian agricultural products.

Biozer da Amazonia, a start-up company dealing in cosmetics, phytotherapics and functional natural food, has obtained the Halal certifi cate and intends to start exporting to Arab countries. The head offi ce of the company is in the aforementioned city of Manaus.

Este artigo foi publicado no Islamic Finance News, no dia 11 de dezembro de 2019.

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