Brazil comes to Poland
The Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (APEX) has opened a distribution center in Poland, the fifth such venue in the world. "We have strategically chosen Poland as our major, most reliable and ideal partner in the region," says Marcelo Jardim, Brazilian Ambassador to Poland.
Through their presence in Poland, Brazilians are also looking to expand to other markets such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, east Germany and ultimately Russia. But Poland, with almost 40 million consumers, is an important market in itself. "What we are doing here is introducing the Brazilian business community to the Polish business community. We are now bringing 56 companies with more than 700 Brazilian products. We believe that in 2007 we'll see a significant growth of our products here," says Juan Quirós, president of APEX.
The distribution center will benefit both Brazilian and Polish trade. It will allow for direct business relations between Polish and Brazilian entrepreneurs and eventually lower the cost of importing and raise agents' margins.
Last year trade between Poland and Brazil exceeded $510 (zł.1,526) million. Poland imported goods worth nearly $300 (zł.898) million, 9.6 percent more than in 2005. However, most products imported from Brazil come via Germany or the Netherlands. Polish exports to Brazil grew by 58 percent and reached $212 (zł.634.4) million.
Ambassador Jardim believes the figures will only grow if trade grows on both sides. "If Brazilian companies export a lot to the Polish market, our trade can multiply only if we buy more from Poland," he says, and adds that a mission of Polish businessmen will go to Brazil in April.
According to Quirós, Brazil has chosen several sectors of the Polish economy which it will help conquer the Brazilian market, with its almost 190 million consumers.
Deputy Economy Minister Andrzej Kaczmarek says Brazilians are not familiar with Polish products, but the government wants to change this. "Our presence in Latin American countries is hardly noticeable, but these are countries with huge potential. Brazil is the first target there, but we will also work on Argentina and Chile," he says.
