Gomes da Costa Sells Tuna to Iraq

The deal was closed with an importer of foods from Baghdad, who operates in the main cities in Iraq.

The shipping started last week, through Itajaí port, in Santa Catarina, and should include another three shipments to the port of Umm Qasr, headed to the Iraqi capital. The full shipping should have been made by late November.

The company also sells tuna and canned sardine to other Arab countries, like Morocco, Libya, Lebanon, the Comoros and Jordan. Gomes da Costa made some adaptations for the sale to be closed, like the production of labels in Arabic and the modification of the flavour of the product to suit the taste of the local population, lowering sodium levels to a maximum of 40 per cent, lower than that sold on the Brazilian market, so that the fish may taste less salty.

"The Arab market is crucial for the growth of the (Gomes da Costa) business due to the high per capita consumption, high income and excellent acceptance of Brazilian products in general, especially due to the great and long-lasting presence of Brazilian beef and chicken. We promote much sampling, many supermarket promotions and distribute promotional material. We are also working on billboards for Libya in 2010," explained the international sales director at Gomes da Costa, Dario Chemerinski.

Currently, sales to the Arab countries represent 15 per cent of company exports, totalling approximately US$ 3 million a year. According to Chemerinski, the company should expand this percentage to 25 per cent in 2010.