14 DAY TRIAL // Apple CEO Steve Jobs has put the opening of a retail store in Brazil on hold. The high protectionist taxes applied in the country to the imports are inhibitory even for a tech mammoth like Apple.
ifoAppleStore, the exclusive source dealing with news and information about Apple's retail establishments, relates on this subject that, ”As reported by MacMagazine Brazil, a story in Gente Boa newsletter recounts that the city’s Secretary of Heritage contacted Jobs to explore building an official store in the city. Washington Fajardo suggested Apple might open a store in the city’s port region or perhaps in the historic city center. But according to the account, Jobs sent an e-mail back to Fajardo explaining that the country’s policy of super-high taxation, ‘makes is very unattractive to invest in the country.’ Jobs went on to tell Fajardo that, ‘Many (other) high-tech companies feel that way.’”
At present, according to the same source, Apple has no retail stores in Mexico, Central or South America, although there have been rumors about future stores in Mexico and Brazil. Apparently, the United States and Brazil are now at the center of a trade dispute over U.S. cotton subsidies, with Brazil threatening to retaliate by increasing tariffs on 100 categories of U.S. imports.
Even if Jobs hasn’t made any official statement on this matter, his company’s position may be related to the eight-year dispute between the U.S. and Brazil over cotton imports/exports. However, there is no evidence that Apple has consulted with the U.S. government trade agencies before building its position on sales in Brazil, ifoAppleStore further reports.
There is an interesting fact, though, that has been underlined by the source, and it refers to the fact that, last month, Brazil reduced import tariffs on 139 categories of computer products. Also, last December, the country also extended legislation that covered certain free-trade zones in the country and the import of personal computers, encouraging the local manufacture of computers.
Until a settlement is established between the US’ and Brazil’s governments, the Apple enthusiasts are left only with hope and a petition on-line regarding the import of Apple products.