The Uruguayan Chamber of Poultry Processors (Cupra) requested authorities from the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) that the free importation of chicken pieces from Brazil is corrected “quickly”because “it only favors some speculators, does not benefit the consumer at all and harms the entire poultry chain.”
This was exposed this Thursday, in the San Jacinto Rural Development Societywithin the framework of a poultry assembly summoned by the Coordinator for the Defense of the Poultry Chain (constituted recently, when there was a truckload in Montevideo to protest the adverse impacts generated by free importation), in which authorities and technicians from MGAP participated; the mayor of Canelones, Yamandú Orsi; parliamentarians; and members of all the links of the national poultry chain.
There, it was explained, representatives of the MGAP presented their position on the subject and listened to different proposals.
A “very serious” problem
Daniel Pereyra, a benchmark in the chicken fazonero sectorsaid to The Observer that it was a very important instance to expose a “very serious problem and that has us all on alert due to the adverse impact it generates”, alluding to the growing importation, “no longer only of supreme”.
“The ministry showed the numbers from January to October, trying to justify the decision and minimize the impact, which actually began to be felt strongly from the end of September,” he said.
He even mentioned that only from November 1 to 8, 260 tons entered from Brazil. “It’s something that’s escalating,” she warned. In addition, due to the massive entry of cut-up chicken, the work of the local cut-up decreased, therefore thigh also began to enter, and although it does not enter the wing (a product for the low-income sector) that by-product also ceased to be as before in the market, since it stopped cutting.
Finally, Pereyra remarked that “contrary to what has been said, this massive income has not favored the consumer.”
Juan Ignacio Buffa, undersecretary of the MGAPAfter the activity, he expressed his satisfaction with the instance in San Jacinto.
Very good instance of work. https://t.co/s6nsU8ZTD0
— Juan Ignacio Buffa (@ignacio_buffa) November 25, 2022
Prior to the development of the assembly, the Association of Rural Women of Uruguay (AMRU) issued a statement expressing its opinion.
The AMRU statement.
Uruguay vs a monster
Cupra reported that Uruguay produces 80,000 tons of poultry meat per year and Brazil exports that same amount every seven days, meaning that in just one week Brazil exports everything that Uruguay produces in a year.
“We have alerted the authorities since March of this year about the enormous risk that national poultry farming runs with the change in the rules of the game,” Cupra indicated on its website, alluding to the fact that the limit that existed to import was annulled. that product.
The companies in the chamber understand that the sector has responded to growing consumption, increasing production and ensuring the supply of fresh chicken and cuts throughout the year throughout the country, therefore there is no shortage of poultry meat in Uruguay and it is not necessary import into volumes like the ones entered last.
For the chamber, “the damage caused by the importation of supremes from Brazil has already been done and will be seen more clearly in the statistical indicators from October and following months.”
“In October the Cupra companies withdrew 400 tons of chickens from the local market and in November they will withdraw another 600 tons. Most of that is in cold storage, waiting to be exported. In case of having turned to the internal market, this production would not have placement. The conditions to generate a flow of sustainable exports are not yet in place, so this situation will generate a strong discouragement for companies to continue investing and producing ”, he stated.
It was also clarified that “Cupra companies do not want to do it, but they could perfectly become importers and compete aggressively with current importers, they know the market, they know the product and they have the structure to do so. They have clearly said and shown that they do not want to do that. Their history as industrial and job-generating companies that have risked for the country and its people is at stake.”
“Instead of investing 100,000 dollars in importing a batch of breeders, of the five that are needed throughout the year, to just start receiving returns within eight months, adding a lot of value and work in the process, with that With the same capital, they could import almost two containers of Supremas and recover the investment in 30 days”, he reflected.
“We have insisted on the need to return to the situation prior to March and continue working together with the government to develop the sector, continue investing and allow it to grow. Except for the issue of import policy, everything that this government has been doing for the sector is worthy of recognition and praise, and we highly value this action”, was another of the concepts exposed.
The perspective from the table, shared by the General Director of the Farm, @nchiesa it is much better and accounts for the number of people concerned with the subject. Yesterday Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in San Jacinto! #MorepoultryBetterCountry @ignacio_buffa https://t.co/EI1ZYcuVNX
– Uruguayan Chickens (@PollosdelU) November 25, 2022
For the chamber, “the Uruguayan poultry sector is not sustainable in this scenario, the conditions for competitiveness must first be created and it must be clear what it means to have the world’s leading producer and exporter as a neighbor and the serious consequences for the The sector will have to indiscriminately allow the speculation of a few importers, which have not benefited the consumer at all, which has been happening since March and we have repeatedly requested that it be stopped”.
Finally, it was indicated: “We count on the sensitivity of the government to change this situation and all the will of the Cupra to achieve the necessary balances and continue with the process underway.”
