“We have been exporters for some time now, we are always mentioned in releases and sites of the Brazilian government. It was he who found us and came to Brazil to have a close look at our premises before we inked the deal,” explains Roberto Pecoits, director of poultry farm, Gralha Azul.

According to Mr Pecoits, the farm's first time exporting was in 1980 but at the time, sales were sporadic. "The foreign market started answering to a significant share of company revenues only in the 1990s," he asserts.

Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Paraguay and Argentina were the first buyers. Paraguay, however, remains the main export destination until this day, with a 60 per cent market share. Gralha Azul has even established a partnership with the owner of a local farm in order to make supply to Paraguayan clients easier.

Also according to the businessman, from 2006 to 2009 shipments were also sent to Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the Netherlands, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Senegal and, approximately one year and a half ago, a contract was signed with the Dubai-based distributor who has been buying large volumes on a regular basis ever since.

Presently, 30 per cent of the output of Gralha Azul is exported. The company was founded in 1971. In the beginning, personnel consisted of three family members and weekly production did not exceed 4,000 eggs per week. The poultry farm was established at the location that currently houses the management office and the incubator. The city grew and farms had to be placed in the rural area.

Gralha Azul owns 32 farms, being 19 of its own and 13 leased from third parties. Furthermore, the company works with 40 integrated small farmers for egg production. This structure generates a production capacity of 4.5 million fertile eggs per month. Annual output is three million fertile eggs, plus another three million eggs for consumption, which are equivalent to 8,500 cartons of eggs or 255,000 dozen. The eggs for consumption are divided into three groups: organic, colonial or country, and traditional brown. The farm generates 275 direct jobs.

The name of the company is Gralha Azul (blue jay: scientific name, Cyanocorax caeruleus) in a tribute to the bird, which is a symbol of the state. It also spreads the seed of the Paraná pine tree and was chosen as the state bird by a state law in 1984.