US mission seeks to expand agriculture sales in Brazil

A US government mission is contacting executives and importers in the states of São Paulo and Pernambuco in a bid to expand the sales of agricultural products to Brazil. The initiative is taking place this Monday (Sep. 25).

“Brazil holds significant untapped market potential for US exporters,” said Mark Slupek, deputy administrator of the Office of Trade Programs for the Foreign Agricultural Service, who is taking part in the mission.

“The country’s growing population and rising per-capita income, coupled with the fact that Brazilian consumers have a high regard for U.S. products and brands, make this a market well worth exploring for American exporters,” he added.

The mission, expected to last until Friday (29), is made up of leaders from 25 US agribusinesses and trade organizations. This is the first official mission conducted by the Department of Agriculture focusing on the Brazilian market.

Slupek noted that the commercial missions for agriculture provide US government officials with the “opportunity to learn in-person about local markets, to build relationships with prospective customers face-to-face and to promote high-quality, U.S. produced agricultural products.”

Brazilian purchases

Last year, Brazil bought some $1.4 billion in agricultural and related products from the US, including ethanol, wheat, prepared foods and dairy products. However, Slupek believes that, due to the expansion in the Brazilian market, there is a significant margin for the growth of imports.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira