New-York tribune., 1922-07-16
The Brazilian Market
Our Best Foot Forward at the Com
ing Centennial


Janciro by an slaborately planned ex-
hibition of more or less national char
after. IN which over thirty nations will
be represented. How many business
seeking Americans are going 20 be
there? Present indications point to-
ward a contribution on the part OF our
alert Yankees that will give material
testimony 20 our great sister republic
that We consider her ss good A. the
best
Statistics are often called the baron
cter Of business. They show that the
intercourse between the United States
and Brazil has steadily increased to
high level on a sound basis. The post
bellum crisis and the disparity In the
exchange are not insurmountable DIM
culties and at the very worst can
cause only temporary suspension Of
the upward trend.
As proof Of the strong position We
enjoy ss regards Brazil. consider the
amount Of Brazilian import trade We
shared in the last year for which
figures are available. namely. 1920. OF
the total imports valued at {lS9.3e3,-
2es according 20 the statistics OF the
Brazilian Ministry Of Finaneel the
United States was FIRST. contributing
i2.1 per cent; next came Great Britain
With 2l.2 per cent, then Argentina with
7.5 per cent. followed by France, Por-
tugal. Italy, Belgium, etc.
The principal products exported 70
Brazil in 1920 were iron and steel,
cotton goods. wheat, machinery. pc
troleum. -four. automobiles and aeees-
sories. paper. railway material, hard
ware Gneludng cutlery and tools) and
chemicals Including medicinal prod
ucts). To illustrate the increasing de-
mand for certain products manufse-
turcd in the United States. compare
the number Of automobiles exported
90 Brazil in 1920 and the number ex-
ported the preceding year. Brazil inn
ported 10 1920 s,ol4 Ameriean-msde su-
tomobies, with total value OF sll.-
O9l.s9i, as contras,ed with 1887, val.
ued at sS,s9A97e, during the preeed.
ing twelve months.
The United States continues 10 be
Brazil's best customer. In 1920 we
purchased 4i.3 per cent OF the sx-
rorled products OF that country. tho
same percentage a. for the year be-
lore. France. Great Britain. Italy, Ar
ecntina. Portugal. etc. came next. The
most Important export products Of
Brazil are the following; Coffee.
caeao. sugar, hides and SKINS, rubber,
rice, meat products. herba mate, to-
bacco. cotton and manganese ore. The
facts outlined above should enlighten
those inclined 10 belittle the i'm
portance Of Brazil ss market FOR
American products.
It will not be sufficient Tor the
United States 10 be the leading ex-
por.sr or importer II is just as i'm
portant for us 20 be good investor
Unfortunately our country has done
very little in the way Of investments
in Brazil. most Of the capital coming
from Europe. Contrary TO the opinion
Of some misinformed individuals. the
Brazilian laws do not discriminate
tgainst foreign corporations and the
legal formalities as well a. the tax
assessments are equitable
There are endless opportunities in
Brazil for the exDloiiation Of her min
eral products. which have been hardly
/ touched The forest wealth o. Brazil
is beyond calculation. The livestock
industry. although in it's infancy. pre-.
sents excellent opportunities for in
vestment. Coffee. cseao, rubber and
sugar are among the leading exploit.
able Brazilian products.
The natural development Of Brazil
would be slow without the proper ma-
ehinery, which the United States is in
most onviable position TO furnish.
Therefore at the coming exposition our
many lines OF machinery should be
there 10 show our friends in Brazil the
very best that human ingenuity can
provide for turning their immense
natural resources into finished prod
ucts other lines will find ready
market in Brazil providing they en-
body the three great factors quality
workmanship and economy.
A good many export managers have
the mistaken impression that because
the Portuguese and the Spanish Ian
guages are 80 similar a Spanish cata-
logue will be understood in Brazil 7
remember also one instance where
firm in Brazil sent In an inquiry In
French TO a firm IN New York and this
firm took it for granted that all the
Brazilians understood French and pro-
ceedcd 20 send French catalogues TO
every prospective client in Brazil
Such methods Of procedure show ig-
noranee and are detrimental 10 Ameri-
can prestige. Literature intended for
Brazil should be translated into Portu-
euese. the Official language OF that
country. ARMANp c. GARRISON
New York, June %. 1922.