Qatar eyes MENA hub for Brazil trade

Qatar is positioning itself as a regional storage and distribution hub for Brazilian food products, as it looks to expand trade with Brazil. Qatar Chamber and the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce are exploring cooperation in food, agriculture, cold chain and logistics to increase the movement of goods between Brazil and MENA markets.

Bilateral trade between Qatar and Brazil exceeded US$400 million last year. Brazil’s main exports to Qatar include agricultural and food products, while Qatar supplies Brazil with refined petroleum products, fertilisers and aluminium.

Using Qatar as a distribution point could help Brazilian food exporters reach MENA markets through established transport and logistics networks. It could also increase demand for warehousing, cold-chain and regional distribution services.

Potential investment areas include meat and poultry, food processing, animal feed, fertilisers, cold-chain solutions and agricultural technology. “Qatar can serve as a regional hub for storing and distributing Brazilian food products to MENA markets,” said Mohamed bin Ahmed Al-Obaidli, Qatar Chamber board member.

Qatari investments in Brazil have exceeded US$7 billion since 2010, while Brazilian companies operate across several sectors in Qatar.