Brazilian farmers open office in China

16  January 2013

The Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock, the main body representing millions of farmers in Brazil, will open an office in Beijing next Wednesday aiming to increase bilateral agricultural trade and attract Chinese investment in Brazilian infrastructure.

“By 2015, 30 million Chinese are expected to join the middle classes, increasing demand for food. This is a very important opportunity for Brazil,” said the president of confederation, Senator Katia Abreu, who is heading the entity’s delegation in Asia.

Apart from intensifying trade relations with China and other regional markets, another aim of the new office in Beijing will be to find opportunities for Chinese direct investment in Brazilian infrastructure, especially in transport logistics and in storage and distribution of agricultural products.

“Investments in those areas will reduce transport costs and make our products more affordable in the Chinese market,” Abreu added.

The confederation’s delegation will meet in Beijing with representatives from the Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. There are also meetings planned with Chinese businessmen interested in forestry investments, the confederation said.