Brasília - Dairy farmers met with minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues, yesterday to discuss new markets for their products. According to the president of the country's biggest dairy cooperative (OCB), Jacques Gontijo Alvares, the main market Brazilian dairy farmers are interested in is Mexico, the world's second biggest importer of such products.

Mexico imports US$1 billion of dairy products annually. Brazil could sell Mexico US$100 million worth of dairy products, says Alvares. Besides Mexico, the markets in Algeria, Libya and Angola are also attractive.

Alvares explains that the problem with Mexico is sanitation barriers that Brazil has been negotiating for 18 months without any results so far. Minister Rodrigues reports that he will lead new negotiations on the matter.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Andréia Araujo
Translator: Allen Bennett
07/29/2004