Brazil is open to partnering with more chinese commodity traders to increase its agro exports to China, Brazilian Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina said.
In an interview with the foreign press, Cristina stressed the importance of China to Brazil’s economy in the agribusiness sector, saying the South America’s largest economy is open to new agreements and partnerships with Chinese companies.
“China’s biggest food trader COFCO is in Brazil and purchases our products, and other Chinese companies are partners with the Brazilian business sector,” she said.
Cristina said Brazil is the third-largest fruit producer in the world, but a low-ranked exporter. The country only export melon to the Chinese market and “would really welcome China opening its door to new Brazilian fresh fruits”.
“We are working hard since Brazil has huge potential but has just started these exports. I want to see if this year we manage to open the Chinese market to Brazilian grapes, a product of the highest quality, as well as other fruits, such as mangoes, which we already export to other countries,” she said.
“Demand is growing, there are new consumption habits, more health demands and the need to cope with global warming. I believe it will be necessary to increase agricultural production in the world in a sustainable way, reduce food loss and waste, strengthen social protection policies, and reduce inequalities in access to safe and healthy food”, said Cristina.
“These are points that will be on our daily agenda in the future”, the minister added.
