Faroe Islands receive land approval from Brazil and exports may begin soon

Today, Sirið Stenberg, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Labour, met with Luis Rua, Brazilian Deputy Minister of Trade and International Affairs. The meeting took place at the Brazilian ambassador’s residence in Copenhagen.

At the meeting, the Minister presented the Prime Minister with a land recognition of the Faroe Islands. Land approval is the most important step on the road to the Faroe Islands being able to export fishery products to Brazil.

For about 15 years, the National Board of Health and the government have been working to reach a health agreement with Brazil. Especially Faroese salted fish producers have long had a desire to gain access to the Brazilian market. In the postwar years and until the 1970s, the Faroese exported a lot of salted fish to Brazil, but exports fell when the price in Brazil was no longer competitive with the price obtained for salted fish in Europe.

Last year, representatives of the Brazilian Food Authority paid an inspection visit to the Faroe Islands. The visit went well, and the result is that the Faroe Islands have now received land recognition from Brazil. The approval means that the National Board of Health is recognized by the Brazilian authorities and will henceforth be responsible for all health relations with Brazil.

At the meeting, the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister also discussed how trade and cooperation between the countries could be developed.