Paraguay is actively pursuing entry into the European market and attracting investment, highlighting its potential to meet the demand of the European meat market based on its abundant livestock resources. Rodrigo Maluff, Vice Minister of Commerce and Services of Paraguay, recently visited Spain and Portugal, where he toured the facilities of Grupo Costa, Spain's third-largest meat processing group, to showcase the high potential of Paraguay's meat industry to European market stakeholders.

During his meeting with Grupo Costa representatives, Vice Minister Maluff emphasized Paraguay's crucial role in complementing the European market's meat demand and helping European companies access new markets, such as Asia, at more competitive prices by using Paraguay as a base. He also added that Paraguay's high-quality and price-competitive meat products could satisfy the diverse demands of the European market.

Grupo Costa, which has focused on the pork processing industry since 1966, is the third-largest meat processing company in Spain, exporting 78% of its production, with 50% of that going to the European market. They have already visited Paraguay, highly valuing its abundant human resources and exploring investment possibilities for expanding into the South American market. Vice Minister Maluff's visit is seen as part of an effort to advance these discussions and encourage Grupo Costa's investment decision in Paraguay.

Natalia Caceres, Paraguay's Commercial Attaché in Spain, stated, "Leading agri-food companies like Grupo Costa, including food processing companies, perfectly align with Paraguay's policies for attracting investment and creating employment." She added, "Through this visit, we will actively promote Paraguay's investment incentives, such as the Maquila system (a tax benefit system for the assembly and processing of export-oriented products), and aim to lead to an investment decision in Paraguay."

The Paraguayan Investment and Export Network (Rediex) is working to expand the international market share of Paraguayan goods and services and strengthen the competitiveness of domestic export companies through its network of commercial attachés stationed abroad. It is also actively seeking to attract foreign direct investment through close cooperation with the Paraguayan embassies in host countries. This visit to Grupo Costa is also part of Rediex's efforts, considered a strategic move to strengthen economic cooperation with the European market and induce investment in Paraguay.

Paraguay has a developed livestock industry based on its vast land and favorable climate conditions, with its beef production being world-class. In recent years, pork production has also steadily increased, as the country seeks to diversify its meat exports. The Paraguayan government aims to actively respond to the increasing meat demand in the European market by utilizing these abundant livestock resources and, furthermore, to establish a bridgehead for entering the Asian market via Europe.

The European Union (EU) is a market that demands strict food safety standards and quality control systems. However, Paraguay already has experience exporting some meat products to the EU market and plans to expand its export volume through continuous quality improvement and compliance with international standards. Additionally, the Paraguayan government is actively encouraging foreign investment by offering various incentives such as tax reductions and land provision. In particular, the Maquila system serves as a significant factor in increasing investment attractiveness by providing tax benefits to foreign companies that produce and process products in Paraguay for re-export.

Experts point out that for Paraguay to secure competitiveness in the European market, it is crucial to continuously strengthen quality control and hygiene standards, make efforts to obtain international certifications, and build a stable supply chain. Furthermore, developing customized products to meet the diverse demands of European consumers and establishing proactive marketing strategies are also essential.

Paraguay's efforts to enter the European meat market are expected to strengthen economic cooperation between the two regions and positively impact Paraguay's economic growth and job creation. With abundant resources, active government support, and multifaceted efforts to attract investment, the world is watching whether Paraguay can emerge as a new economic powerhouse in South America.