São Paulo, November 19, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade says it hopes to reach out to new industrial sectors and get them involved in the export process as part of a change of mentality it has undertaken through the Foreign Trade Meetings project which has been in operation since 1997. It has held meetings with 10,000 firms, represented by 23,000 people, who have received information and training in export mechanisms and procedures, along information on business opportunities abroad.

There are an estimated 4 million firms in Brazil, but only 16,000 are exporters. (AB)