The Brazilian foreign ministry has revealed that the region's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is to conduct a five-day tour across Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden to promote the use of biofuels, the Associated Press has reported.

According to the publication, the tour, which began in Finland, will also involve a visit to Spain, during which Mr Lula da Silva will meet with King Juan Carlos, Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and a number of businessmen.

Brazil is currently the world’s leading exported of ethanol, which it produces from sugar cane. The region is hoping that the president’s foreign tour will promote its biofuels program across the Nordic countries, The Associated Press reported.

Finland, Norway and Sweden currently purchase the sugar cane-based fuel from Brazil, and it is hoped that sales deals will also be signed with Sweden and Denmark as a result of the visit. The president is also hoping to promote trade in general between Brazil and the Nordic regions.

According to the Associated Press, Mr Lula da Silva’s visit to Finland is expected to result in the signing of a memorandum of understanding on climate change, while during the visit to Sweden, the president will strike a deal aimed at creating the standardized development of ethanol and of a larger world market for its trade.