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Brazil is one of the importers of the famous carpet industry of the Arab world. In the first semester of the year, Brazilians spent US$ 407,900 in rugs made in the Arab countries in North Africa and Middle East.
The value represents an increase in 37% over the purchases made in the first six months last year, which added up to US$ 297,700. The greatest supplier of the product to Brazil in the region is Egypt. "Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are traditional carpet producers," says the secretary-general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby. Of the total imported in rugs by Brazil from the Arabs between January and June, Egypt represented 98%. The other Arab countries that supplied the product to Brazil in the period were Morocco and Lebanon. The Arab Emirates have also already exported rugs to Brazil. According to Alaby, Brazil imports rugs from other countries as well, like Belgium, Iran and China. Iran, in fact, is one of the main carpet makers in the Middle East. The industry of rugs in the United Arab Emirates, according to Alaby, is worked by Iranians. China supplies synthetic carpets to Brazil. The Arab and Iranians, on the other hand, normally sell products in wool and cotton. Egypt is a cotton producer. In the homes of the Arab and Arab descendant families in Brazil, the rug is an important element of decoration. "The rugs are used a lot in the Arab homes. Many have rugs from 12 to 15 meters long," explains the secretary-general at the Arab Chamber. The carpets used by the Arabs normally are sumptuous and bring figures related to the culture in the region. The Arabs of Muslim religion use the rugs, also, for prayers. Carpets represent 4.4% of the total exported by Egypt to Brazil between January and June this year. The Arab country, located in North Africa, had revenues of US$ 9.1 million with exports to Brazil in the period. The value means an increase of 3.6% over the same months in 2005. Cotton and cotton products, like thread, were the products most sold by the Egyptians to Brazil in the first semester of the year. Anba - www.anba.com.br
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