EN 
PT_BR 
The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) concluded this Monday (November 24th), in Cuiabá, a series of unprecedented actions that marked the inauguration of the Agency's office in the state, expanding its institutional presence in the Midwest and reinforcing direct support to companies and producers in Mato Grosso. The agenda, focused on expanding exports and strengthening the attraction of investments to Mato Grosso, brought together federal authorities, businesspeople, and representatives of sectoral entities in the capital and symbolizes a new phase in ApexBrasil's work in the state.
“Brazil has regained a very prominent role in the world, leading the G20 and BRICS this year, carrying out international missions and recovering a space it hadn't occupied for about 10 years, thanks to the strong leadership of President Lula. ApexBrasil has doubled its presence abroad and also the number of offices. Created in 2003, the Agency now has more than 11 international representations and has also decided to strengthen its operations within the country itself.”"That's what Jorge Viana, president of ApexBrasil, said."
Expanding our international reach is accompanied by a strategy of having a closer presence with the Brazilian productive sector. “It is not possible to expand our national presence in agribusiness without looking at Mato Grosso. The state is extraordinary, it has advanced a great deal, it has done its homework and accounts for nearly a third of the positive balance of trade in Brazil, something around US$30 billion a year. Therefore, we decided to establish an ApexBrasil office here, which will begin operating immediately and, starting in January, will already be implementing programs. This decision was aligned with President Lula and Minister Fávaro. Being based in the agribusiness capital, at the Mato Grosso Agriculture Federation, with the support of President Vilmar, is a way to offer a concrete instrument to facilitate the lives of those who produce and want to export. Barriers that existed in the past are being dismantled: there is a rapprochement between the federal government and the state's producers, and now anyone who wants to compete in the international market will have ApexBrasil nearby, right here in Mato Grosso.”Viana emphasized.
Along the same lines, the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro, recalled that the diplomatic advances and joint action between the federal government and ApexBrasil are already beginning to generate concrete results for Brazilian agribusiness. “Together, since the first day of President Lula’s third term, we have managed to transform this positive moment in diplomacy into commercial opportunities. Apex has done a magnificent job, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, our Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 500 new markets have been opened for Brazilian agricultural products worldwide.”, stated Fávaro.
“ApexBrasil is here to reinforce a potential that is already spectacular in the state of Mato Grosso and to help Brazil export more. We are not just talking about soybeans, corn, and cotton, but about expanding markets. DDG (Dried Distillers Grains), for example, which is an industry that has consolidated in Mato Grosso, corn ethanol, and sesame are gaining strength. Sesame, which practically had no international trade a few years ago, now has 61 establishments authorized to export to China. Of these, 31 are from Mato Grosso.”, the minister highlighted.
Strategic meetings
Another highlight was the working meetings between 54 Brazilian agricultural attachés and approximately 200 representatives from the productive sector, who filled the main auditorium and meeting rooms. The meeting brought representatives of the productive sector face-to-face with those responsible abroad for opening markets and overcoming trade barriers, allowing for direct clarification of doubts.
“We are here with all our agricultural attachés, receiving demands and listening to what producers and exporters from Mato Grosso have to ask of us, so that we can move forward and so that Brazil is increasingly connected. This work is done in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, ApexBrasil, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so that we can increasingly place Brazil on the world stage.”"This was explained by Luis Rua, Secretary of Commerce and International Relations at MAPA."
Investments to expand exports
During the event, ApexBrasil signed agreements with three important agribusiness entities: the Brazilian Cotton Producers Association (ABRAPA), the National Union of Corn Ethanol (UNEM), and the Brazilian Institute of Beans and Pulses (IBRAFE), which together total more than R$42 million. These resources will be applied to international promotion initiatives, market intelligence, and expanding Brazil's presence abroad, boosting exports of cotton, corn ethanol, beans, and pulses to new markets.
“It is truly gratifying and historic for us to renew, under Jorge Viana's administration, the second agreement with ApexBrasil. UNEM is a young entity, representing the corn ethanol sector, which is also still relatively new in the country. We had the opportunity, just over two years ago, to sign the first agreement, and now we are renewing it for another two years. I usually say that UNEM started as a state entity and became national with the opening of the office in Brasília. Through the agreement with Apex, we also began to have an international presence, represented in several countries by the Agency's offices and in more than 40 Brazilian embassies with the support of agricultural attachés. This partnership has been a success, not only for the financial contribution, but for all the structure, intelligence, and organizational capacity that Apex offers us, allowing us to structure new markets and strengthen the presence of Brazilian products abroad.”"This is a true statement," said Guilherme Nolasco, CEO of the National Union of Corn Ethanol (UNEM).
Qualification programs for companies
ApexBrasil also launched two strategic programs that will support the state's export development according to each company's level of maturity. The Qualifica Exportação program, executed directly by the Agency, will provide specialized consulting for companies already prepared or in an advanced stage of exporting. The Export Qualification Program (PEIEX), executed in partnership with Sebrae-MT, will offer free and structured training for micro and small businesses with low export maturity. In total, the two programs will train 150 companies in Mato Grosso with an investment of over R$2.5 million.
“The main theme of this moment is the strengthening of dialogue. I believe that the new Apex office represents unity within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The state of Mato Grosso has a new economic frontier to be built, not only in mining or energy, but above all in the industrialization of our international production chains. And, at the base of all of them, are small businesses, which today total more than 400,000 companies in Mato Grosso.”"This was the argument made by André Luiz Schelini, Technical Director of Sebrae-MT."
Exports and opportunities for Mato Grosso
The study Export and Investment Opportunities – Mato Grosso, Published by ApexBrasil, the report reveals the state's strength in Brazilian foreign trade. In 2024, the state was the leading exporter in the Central-West region, responsible for 55% of external sales, and occupied the eighth national position, with US$$ 27.6 billion exported. The export portfolio is dominated by agriculture (72.1%), followed by the manufacturing industry (26.7%). China remained the main destination for the state's exports, absorbing 32.7% of the total exported in 2024.
The survey also identifies 1,235 traditional export opportunities, distributed across 21 sectors, involving 32 products. Among the most promising sectors are fresh, chilled, or frozen beef (with strong demand from China, Chile, the USA, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates), as well as soybeans, corn, soybean meal, cotton, and vegetable fats and oils, with opportunities in the Czech Republic, Italy, Vietnam, South Korea, and Portugal. The complete study can be accessed at [link to study].websitefrom ApexBrasil.
