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BRAZIL TRADE MISSION 2015
April 25 – May 2, 2015
Market Information
Trade Mission Details
Application Information
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Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds will lead a trade mission to Brazil April 25 – May 2, 2015 aiming to expand
trade opportunities for Iowa companies and products. The Iowa Economic Development Authority’s
(IEDA) International Trade Office will coordinate the trip.
Participating Iowa companies will have one-on-one pre-qualified appointments whether they are seeking
to develop or expand direct export sales, locate distributors or agents, conduct market research or have
other goals.
Sectors: All industry sectors are invited to participate in this mission.
Space is limited for trade mission participation. The deadline for application is February 16, 2015.
Read further for more information or contact Peggy Kerr at 515.725.3143 or [email protected].
Market Information
Brazil, the seventh largest economy in the world, is
Latin America’s biggest economy. It is the fifth
largest country in the world in terms of land mass
and sixth in population with about 202 million
people. Brazil has been the sixth largest destination
for Iowa’s exports since 2011, exceeding $600
million in exports in 2013. In 2013, the U.S. was
Brazil’s second largest import supplier behind China
and followed by Argentina, Germany and Nigeria.
During the past decade, the country has maintained
sound macroeconomic policies to control inflation
and promote economic growth. One of the most
significant changes experienced by the Brazilian
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economy over the past 15 years has been the
increased attention to the importance of exports to increase the growth rate of the economy. This was an
important change for a country that had relied on its internal market for so long. This helped the country
cement its importance in international trade and gave the Brazilian economy a boost that helped push
millions of Brazilians out of poverty into an up-and-coming expanded middle class which now accounts for
the majority of the population. As the boom in global economic growth and in the price of commodities
has abated, the country’s growth rate has slowed with 2.5% annual growth during 2013 and a high of
1.3% expected in 2014.
The majority of Brazilians live in the south-central area, which includes the industrial cities of São Paulo,
Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte. Brazil has undergone rapid urban growth with nearly 85% of the total
population now living in urban areas. This growth aids economic development but also creates serious
social, security, environmental, and political problems for major cities.
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Brazil’s infrastructure sector will receive an estimated US$800 billion in investments from 2013 through
2017. The sum will be divided between the energy and infrastructure sectors, with a larger amount
allocated for infrastructure development such as roads, rail, ports and airports. Brazil is experiencing
major growth in the construction sector. The country has captured global attention as its major cities
undergo a construction boom related to the 2014 World Cup and, specifically for Rio de Janeiro, the
Summer Olympic Games in 2016. The Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro estimates that
investments in the State between 2010 and 2016 will reach US$50 billion, in sectors including
infrastructure, construction, transportation and others.
Other promising areas for U.S. exports and investment include oil and gas, agricultural equipment,
building and construction, aerospace and aviation, safety and security devices, IT, medical equipment,
sporting goods, environmental technologies, retail, and transportation.
Brazil is a large, dynamic, and rapidly growing market for agricultural equipment. This growth is driven by
an extensive commercial farming sector that itself is a major global exporter of agricultural commodities,
such as soybeans, coffee, sugar, corn, meat and orange juice. Mission participants in the agriculture
sector will have the option of visiting and holding meetings two of the mission’s days at Agrishow
(www.agrishow.com.br/en/) in Ribeirão Preto. In 2014, Agrishow, one of the 3 largest trade fairs of
agricultural technology in the world, hosted 800 exhibitors and 160,000 visitors. The exhibition field is
440,000 square meters with an additional 100 hectares devoted to field demonstrations.
Brazil has a large and diversified economy that offers U.S. companies many opportunities to partner and
to export their goods and services, and U.S. exports are increasing rapidly. Doing business in Brazil
requires intimate knowledge of the local environment, including both the direct as well as the indirect
costs of doing business in Brazil (referred to as “Custo Brasil”). Such costs are often related to
distribution, government procedures, employee benefits, environmental laws, and a complex tax
structure. Logistics pose a particular challenge, given the lack of sufficient infrastructure to keep up with
nearly a decade of economic expansion. In addition to tariffs, U.S. companies will find a complex customs
and legal system.
A Doing Business in Brazil Webinar was held Thursday, February 5. Topics of discussion included a
macroeconomic view of Brazil, market opportunities and challenges, strategies for success, and legal
strategies which are crucial when preparing your business plan for accessing Brazil. The webinar
provided answers to questions relating to contract law, distribution agreements, import strategies, taxes
and duties, forms of legal entities, and labor and employment laws in Brazil. Speakers were Peggy Kerr,
IEDA; Claudia Tomaselli, TVZ International and Pat Kelly, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. A recording of the
webinar may be viewed at https://attendee.gototraining.com/5l15y/recording/5620870931373404418.
Additional market background information is available at:
CIA - The World Factbook
U.S. Country Commercial Guide for Brazil
U.S. Department of Commerce Market Research Library
U.S. Department of State Background Notes
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Trade Mission Details
Sectors: All industry sectors are invited to participate in this
mission. Industry/product analysis will be conducted to determine
appropriate destinations in market to be considered.
General Mission Itinerary:
Saturday, April 25 – Afternoon/Evening Departure
Sunday, April 26 – Morning arrival in São Paulo, Evening briefings and dinner
Monday, April 27 –Business Meetings
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Tuesday, April 28 – Business Meetings
Participants in agricultural sectors travel to Ribeirão Preto for meetings at Agrishow
Wednesday, April 29 – Business Meetings
Participants in agricultural sectors travel to Ribeirão Preto for meetings at Agrishow
Thursday, April 30 – Continued Business Meetings in São Paulo or other locations as determined by
industry sector
Friday, May 1 – Cultural Day, Evening flight departure
Saturday, May 2 – Arrive Iowa
Basic Participation Fee: $1,000 per participant which includes:
 Group ground transportation
 Group hosted meals
 Business receptions
 Pre and post mission assistance
 On-site support while in Brazil and Chile during the mission dates
 Business briefing (as needed)
 Promotional support and complete mission planning
Full Mission Participation Fee: $3,500 per participating Iowa company (up to 2 participants) which
includes all services provided in the Basic Participation Fee PLUS the necessary research, individualized
in-country business appointment schedules, group ground transportation, briefings and hosted meals,
pre- and post-mission assistance, on-site support while in country, pre-mission business briefing and
complete mission planning. An additional fee, to be determined, will be applicable for those companies in
the agricultural sector participating in the Agrishow component. Suitable arrangements will be made for
ground transportation and interpreters for mission appointments, but participating companies will be
responsible for the expenses.
Export Trade Assistance Program (ETAP Funding): ETAP
funds may be available on a first-come, first-served basis to
qualified business applicants for the trade mission. ETAP will
reimburse 75% of an eligible company's direct expenses up
to $4,000 per pre-approved trade mission. Eligibility requirements
and eligible expenses for reimbursement can be viewed at
IowaGrants.gov
http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/InternationalAssistance/ETAP .
Estimated Mission Expenses:
Download the summary of mission costs as well as potential ETAP reimbursement for eligible Iowa
companies: [PDF: 298k]
IEDA Services: IEDA's contractor in Brazil, TVZ International (http://tvzint.com.br/), will conduct the
necessary market research in order to arrange business meetings appropriate for each participating
company's needs. TVZ International is an international business consulting company, strategically
located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil - South America’s industrial hub and major commercial and
financial center. The meetings will be held at the local company's facility whenever possible, except in the
case of the agricultural sector meetings at Agrishow.
IEDA will hold a pre-mission briefing to acquaint the participants with the overall itinerary, travel
requirements, travel/lodging arrangements, country background, each other, etc. A thorough commercial
and economic orientation is provided during the mission.
IEDA/TVZ will make hotel reservations and local transportation arrangements based on an air itinerary
which will be provided. Airport-hotel transports are provided for those traveling on the mission airline
itinerary. Participants arriving or departing the country on different airlines/flights may be responsible for
their own airport-hotel transportation expenses. Participants may choose to use the State's travel agent
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coordinating this trip or their own. Participants may travel independently on intra-country flights during the
mission based on a personalized schedule which will be discussed. Each participant is responsible for
payment of their travel and lodging expenses. Participating companies will be responsible for payment of
ground transportation and interpreters for mission appointments. A percentage of per diem is allowable
under ETAP.
Passport/Visa Requirements: All Americans traveling by air outside the
United States are required to present a passport or other valid travel document
to enter or re-enter the United States.
A valid U.S. passport and visa are required when traveling to Brazil for any
purpose. You must obtain your Brazilian visa in advance from the Brazilian
Embassy or Consulate nearest to your place of residence in the United States.
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There are no "airport visas" and immigration authorities will refuse entry into
Brazil to anyone not possessing a valid visa. The U.S. government cannot
assist you if you arrive in Brazil without proper documentation. All Brazilian visas, regardless of the
length of validity, must initially be used within 90 days of the issuance date or will no longer be valid.
The use of a visa service is recommended. Options include:
Perry International http://www.perryvisa.com/
CIBTvisas http://cibtvisas.com/
Passport and Visa http://www.passportsandvisas.com/
Visa requests for Iowa residents are processed by the Consulate-General of Brazil in Chicago. Details
are available at http://chicago.itamaraty.gov.br/en-us/visas.xml. Estimated time for the entire process is
20 days. Passports must have remaining validity of 7 months and two blank visa pages. The
International Trade Office can supply your letter of invitation.
U.S. citizens and other foreign travelers must fill out an immigration form on arrival that will be stamped
and handed back by immigration officials at the airport. It is important to retain this form to hand back to
immigration officials upon exit from the country. According to the Brazilian Embassy’s website, visitors
who lose this form will have to get clearance from the Brazilian Federal Police to leave the country and
may have to pay a fine.
Remember that while in Brazil, you are subject to local law. Showing contempt to a Brazilian government
official at the port of entry, or elsewhere, is a serious offense.
General Travel Information
The following web sites provide links to international travel and health information.
U.S. Dept. of State
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Travel Insurance and Travel Health Insurance
U.S. medical insurance plans often do not provide coverage for health costs when traveling abroad, let
alone allow for emergency expenses such as medical evacuation. Many companies offer supplemental
policies. Resources for international medical emergency services, health insurance and health
information is available upon request.
Application Information
The deadline for trade mission application is February 16, 2015, although the sooner applications are
received, the sooner the necessary research can begin. Applications should be detailed and specific.
Include previous contacts to be contacted, and also those not to be contacted. Provide a profile of good
candidates if possible.
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1. Mission Application for Full Mission Participation including individualized business meetings [MS
Word: 753k]
OR
Application for Basic Participation NOT including individualized business meetings [MS Word:
293k] [MS Word: 293k]
3. Traveler Information Sheet [MS Word: 705k]
4. Participation Fees
Checks payable to IEDA Foundation. Invoice available upon request
5. ETAP application (if eligible) instructions are available at:
2.
http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/InternationalAssistance/ETAP
6.
7.
8.
9.
Electronic version of relevant marketing materials, or web links
Brief (2-3 paragraph) company/organization/product description for use in a promotional brochure
Company/organization logo as vector artwork in .eps, .ai or .pdf format
Participant head shot photograph in high resolution .jpg format
Submit application materials via e-mail and/or mail to:
Peggy Kerr
Iowa Economic Development Authority
200 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
Contact Peggy Kerr at 515.725.3143 or [email protected] for additional information.
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www.iowaeconomicdevelop.com/intlevents
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