Brazil has exported more than $6.6 billion worth of food to the United Arab Emirates in the first eight months of 2012.
The biggest buyers of food from Brazil were Saudi Arabia, Egypt and several other emirs, reports AME Info. Saudi Arabia alone has imported food products worth around $1.5 billion, while Egypt, after a rise of 28 percent, stands at $1.2 billion, the report adds. The UAE's imports are valued at $930 million.
"With Brazilian food companies strongly adhering to halal standards and other quality regulations being adopted in key markets across the region, we expect export volumes to continue to rise and serve as a rallying point for long-term trade and economic cooperation," Michel Alaby, Director-General of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce said, according to Al Arabiya News.
"We will therefore continue to explore more innovative ways to cultivate a stronger alliance among Brazilian exporters and their counterparts in the MENA region," he added.
The top food products exported to the emirates from Brazil include cane sugar and beet sugar, along with chemically pure sucrose. Meat exports have gone up by 45 percent and are valued at $554 million, reports Al Arabiya.
The exports are likely to increase soon, since many more countries have begun depending on Brazil and other South American countries due to unfavorable weather hurting harvests in major grain growing regions around the world.
XL Foods to be managed by Brazilian company
Separately, JBS USA, a Brazilian protein processor company, has taken over the management of XL Foods, Alberta.
"JBS USA expands its North American operations through an agreement with Canada's XL Foods, one of Canada's largest producers of beef and related products," stated Bill Rupp, president and COO, JBS USA Beef, in a press release.
"As the world's largest producer of animal protein, we know full well the commitment it takes to manage world-class operations that produce safe and nutritious products for consumers around the world to enjoy. We believe our experienced team will prove an invaluable asset in the management of XL Lakeside and we look forward to exploring our options to purchase XL assets in the near future," he added.
Brian Nilsson, the CEO of XL Foods, believes that this will be a mutually beneficial relationship, and welcomes help from JBS.
XL Foods has been in the limelight for sending out tainted beef products into the market. The beef products were found to contain E.Coli. The company and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's response to the incident has been widely criticized for being slow and not too useful.