Alana Gandra
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Rio - Eleven small firms that produce organic foods and services will represent the state of Rio de Janeiro at the coming edition of the BioFach international organics fair in Nuremberg, Germany, between February 24 and 27. According to the press office of the Sebrae/RJ (Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises), which provides assistance to the firms, this year's fair selected Brazilian organic products as its central theme, in consequence of the country's outstanding performance in this area in 2004.

Sebrae/RJ technical specialist Ângelo Maciel Baeta informed that, in all, 38 small firms from 11 states will participate in the BioFach. The exhibitors from Rio de Janeiro will offer visitors to the fair rice, coffee, energetic drinks, flowers, chicken, eggs, dairy products, fruit, palm hearts, and natural fabrics and cosmetics, Baeta said.

The Brazilian organics market is growing, at an annual rate of 20-30%, which indicates the potential that is there to be exploited. The region in Brazil in which there is the greatest concentration of organic production is the Southeast, which accounts for 80% of the certified products.

In Baeta's view, the country still lacks a marketing strategy aimed at winning over consumers. Most of what is produced (82%) is exported. In 2004 this amounted to 16 thousand tons of exported organic products.

Translation: David Silberstein