Brazil to showcase choice fruit at Dubai Expo

Brazil will showcase the products that have made it one of the three leading fruit producers in the world at a key event to be held in Dubai later this month.

'Flavours from Brasil', a major food and beverage trade event, taking place on February 21 and 22, aims to increase Brazil's share in the Middle East food market.

The country has become a favourite source of fruit for the Middle East, particularly in the UAE. Fruit growing is one of the main revenue generators of the Brazilian economy. The country’s productive and high-quality fruit crop is sustained by an excellent tropical climate, state-of-the-art production technologies and sustainable agricultural practices, said a statement.

Some highly nutritional fruit such as assai can only be found in Brazil due to the region’s natural diversity. Considered a superfruit containing antioxidant levels 20 to 75 per cent higher than in any other tested fruit or vegetable, assai will be one of the Brazilian fruit highlighted at 'Flavours from Brasil'.

“Brazilian fruit are highly popular in the Middle East, especially in the UAE where consumers seek variety in the type of fruit and vegetables they purchase. The way these fruit are carefully processed also adds to their appeal as high-quality food products,” said Juarez Leal, project manager, Flavours from Brasil.

Brazil produces more than 43 million tons of fruit a year in around 2.2 million hectares of agricultural area. It currently leads the world in the production of oranges, papayas and Tahiti limes. The country exported US$13.89 million worth of dried and fresh fruit to Arab countries in 2007, representing a phenomenal 68 per cent leap from the US$8.25 million sales posted in 2006.

 

In 2008, Brazilian fruit exports to Arab countries rose further to US$16 million. Arab nations thus present highly lucrative new markets that Brazilian fruit producers are eager to further explore.