DUBAI: The Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) has lauded the growing economic ties between Brazil and Arab countries after recent statistics - released by the Brazilian Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services - showed the country importing 5.9 million tonnes of fertiliser from January to November this year.

The number accounted for 24.4 per cent of Brazil’s total global fertiliser imports of 24.2 million tonnes as per the figures released by national industry association Associacao Nacional para Difusao de Adubos (Anda). The country’s global fertiliser imports were up 8.2 per cent.

Dr. Michel Alaby, Secretary-General and CEO of ABCC, said, “According to the numbers supplied by the Brazilian Ministry and compiled by the ABCC, Brazil’s fertiliser imports from the Arab nations rose 38 per cent year-on-year.

In November this year, reports said Brazil purchased 626,830 tonnes of fertiliser from Arab states, up 20.7 per cent from the same period last year. Morocco and Saudi Arabia are Brazil’s major Arab markets, with other sources include the UAE, Egypt, Oman, Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Tunisia and Jordan. Importing most of the fertiliser it uses, Brazil’s output has reached 7.57 million tonnes so far this year.

WAM