Fortaleza, March 18, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The VIII International Northeast Business Encounter, a meeting that gathered 337 exporters in the Business Center of the Micro and Small Business Support Service of the state of Ceará (Sebrae-CE), ends today. Most of the participants are micro and small business owners from a wide variety of areas, such as handcrafts, clothing, footware and leather goods, food, beverages, floriculture, furniture, and informatics.

Also present at the meeting are importers from countries in South America, such as Argentina, Trinidad and Tobago, and Chile; and Africa, such as Cape Verde and Senegal; as well as Portugal.

It is expected that by the end of the Encounter around US$ 20 million in business will be transacted.

Translator: David Silberstein