The US is the "best market" for Brazil, says the president of Apex.
Jorge Viana highlights the diversity of exports to the US and announces a strengthening of the Brazilian presence in the country with a new office in Washington.
247 - The president of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), Jorge Viana, stated on Monday (11) that, although China is the largest destination for Brazilian exports, the United States represents the “best market” for the country. The statement was made during the opening of the Brazilian Agribusiness Congress, held in São Paulo and promoted by the Brazilian Agribusiness Association (Abag) and B3, according to information from Valor Econômico.
Viana explained that the American advantage lies in its more diversified export portfolio, which expands opportunities for Brazilian companies. "Our portfolio is very diversified. This diversity is significant and means that we have a strong presence of companies from our country that export to the United States," he stated.
Economic and political issues in trade with the USA
The head of Apex observed that if negotiations regarding the tariffs imposed by the US on Brazilian exports were limited to the economic sphere, the dialogue would be simpler. "But the discussions carry difficult political issues that are hard to address," he said, without directly referencing the context involving US President Donald Trump, who has already cited Jair Bolsonaro's (PL) situation as justification for economic sanctions against Brazil.
Viana advocated for a joint strategy to protect Brazilian products and suggested that items such as food—especially those that Americans do not produce, like coffee—be excluded from tariffs. He recalled that Brazilian coffee was not included in the exceptions presented by the Trump administration. “It’s possible to have allies there [in the US], it’s possible to bring together business sectors there, and, according to their interests, they will rid us of some of these situations that affect our trade,” he emphasized.
Expansion of the Brazilian presence in the USA
To strengthen trade relations, Apex-Brasil is opening an office in Washington, which will join existing offices in Miami, San Francisco, and New York. The agency intends to hold regular meetings with all sectors impacted by the tariffs, seeking solutions that increase the competitiveness of Brazilian products.
New markets and business missions
In addition to focusing on the United States, Viana revealed that Apex-Brasil organizes business missions to Indonesia, Malaysia, and India, with the participation of agribusiness representatives. "Our commitment is to intensify our work in defending Brazilian products in order to gain more market share abroad," he stated.
