Featured NewsAugust 5, 2023

Unlocking Halal Export Potential in Paraná, Brazil

Invest Paraná, in collaboration with the Arab Brazilian Chamber, recently organized a webinar focusing on the halal market. The southern Brazilian state of Paraná is poised to tap into the halal market’s potential across various sectors such as food, textiles, and cosmetics.

Giancarlo Rocco, the Director of International and Institutional Relations at Invest Paraná, highlighted that the state could explore opportunities in exporting to Muslim-majority markets. He emphasized that the concept of halal extends beyond food and encompasses textiles and other industries. The webinar, titled “How Halal can boost your brand’s Internationalization,” aimed to educate entrepreneurs and cooperatives about the significance of halal certification and how it validates adherence to Islamic requirements, making products suitable for Muslim consumers.

Rocco identified the textile industry, particularly in the Cianorte region, as having untapped potential to obtain halal certification. He emphasized that the certification not only facilitates market entry but also signifies production quality. The director also noted that slaughterhouses and poultry cooperatives, some of which are already exporting, have substantial growth prospects. Paraná houses ten of the fifteen largest cooperatives in Latin America, contributing significantly to the state’s economic vitality.

Paraná, recognized as Brazil’s largest poultry-producing state, accounts for a significant share of national poultry exports, particularly halal-certified protein.

Rocco also highlighted the state’s yerba mate production, noting its association with Rio Grande do Sul and the potential for Paraná to become a recognized brand for this product. He expressed the need to explore value-added opportunities in the yerba mate industry, citing examples such as energy drinks and blends with other ingredients.

Paraná’s beauty and cosmetics industry also presents a promising export avenue, with O Boticário, a prominent brand, already making strides in international markets like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

Invest Paraná’s efforts to promote the state’s products and quality involve international missions, with past missions to Expo 2020 Dubai and upcoming plans for events like Gulfood in Dubai and potential missions to Egypt. The goal is to establish Paraná as a recognized brand for various products and industries on the global stage.