Big Business: Slaughterhouse Seeks Arab Partner
BRAZIL - Halal certified and with slaughtering capacity for 700 animals/day, Iguatemi wants to produce exclusively for the Arab countries, which currently rank among the leading importers of Brazilian beef.
9 October 2008
3 minute read
Brazilian businessman Roberto Leme Praxedes, owner of Iguatemi slaughterhouse, with a production unit installed in the city of Iguatemi, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, is determined to find an Arab investor to help him forge ahead with his business, writes Geovana Pagel, of the Brazil-Arab News Agency. "We want a partner only to help with our working capital. Our structure is 100% operational with all the necessary machinery and equipment," Praxedes told ANBA.
On the market for 20 years, the slaughterhouse has capacity for slaughtering 700 animals a day, generates 300 direct jobs and has been Halal certified since 1998. "Our goal is to produce exclusively for the Arab countries, which are currently among the leading destinations for Brazilian beef," he said.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Libya stand out among the ten leading importer markets of Brazilian beef. From January to September this year, the four Arab nations consumed over 440,000 tonnes of Brazilian beef.
In terms of percentage, the Arab countries answer to nearly 20% of total Brazilian beef exports, US$ 3.91 billion this year so far, 22% over that recorded for the first nine months of 2007.
The Brazilian businessman explains that he has already exported to Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In 2004, he attended a seminar and business roundtables with Arab businessmen at the head offices of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, in the city of São Paulo. "At that time I made lots of contacts and traded several cards. I believe our business might be of great interest to businessmen in the region," he stated.
Resumption
After a period in which his business went through ups and downs, especially in 2006, when cases of foot-and-mouth disease occurred in the state, the businessman rented the slaughterhouse to the Diplomata group, based in the city of Cascavel, state of Paraná. According to Praxedes, now that the contract has expired and he is going to take charge of the slaughterhouse again, he believes that this is the right time to develop a partnership or a joint venture with an investor from the Middle East or North Africa.
"I have already been sought by some Brazilian businessmen, but I prefer a direct partnership with a foreign group or businessman. I think it is an excellent opportunity for both parties," he added. "Our company has a reduced structure and is very well located, close to the border with the state of Paraná, in the same region in which the Bertin slaughterhouse is located," he added.
The city of Iguatemi is located in the south of Mato Grosso do Sul, 451 kilometres away from Campo Grande. The city works as a regional hub, with slaughterhouses that generate around 1,600 direct jobs.
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