Najeem Salim Rawther, head of Falcon Trading in Oman, is in Brazil to explore sourcing opportunities in the fruit sector and identify new partners.
Rawther is part of a delegation of 17 companies from 16 countries participating in the Export More Brazil program organised by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). The group includes companies from South Africa, Antigua and Barbuda, China, Slovakia, the United States, Honduras, India, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Romania, Russia, and Singapore.
The delegation has visited farms in the state of São Paulo and is participating in B2B meetings at the Fruit Attraction fair in São Paulo.
Falcon Trading supplies around 600 items to retailers in Oman. Rawther said the visit is aimed at identifying additional sourcing options as competition in the sector increases. "We are definitely exploring more options. That's the first thing to do to keep prices under control, and as competition is increasing tremendously, we need to look for more cost-effective import routes and supply partners," he said.
He noted that sourcing from Brazil requires specific logistics. Oman does not import in volumes comparable to larger Gulf markets, which means containers need to be filled with mixed products. During previous visits in 2016 and 2018, this requirement could not be met, although discussions during the current visit may address this.
Logistics also remain a constraint, with no direct cargo flights between Brazil and Oman. As a result, Brazilian products are typically shipped via the Netherlands or the UAE in mixed containers, making trade indirect.
"What matters is having a good product within a certain price range, regardless of the country of origin. In Oman, people don't care about where a product comes from. They care more about price and good quality," he said.
Rawther also referred to production practices observed during the visit. "And the environmental aspect is brilliant, truly brilliant, and I don't think I've ever seen it so deeply embedded across all companies. Everyone I meet here talks about sustainability, which is wonderful. In fact, I think it's a major positive for Brazil as a country," he said.
Source: ANBA
