The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro, said this Monday (22), in the capital of São Paulo, that the Brazilian government’s decision to adopt self-embargo After the confirmation of a case of Newcastle disease in Rio Grande do Sul, it was important to guarantee safety for the foreign market and avoid greater risks.
After identifying a case of Newcastle disease on a farm in Anta Gorda (RS), the Ministry of Agriculture preventively suspended the export of poultry products to 44 countries, defining different restriction radii. These radii range from ten kilometers from the remote area to the entire Brazilian territory, depending on the market.
According to the minister, this strategy was better than simply restricting small areas and then expanding them, which could give the impression to the foreign market that the number of cases of the disease identified could be increasing. “So, what we did was close the state and show that there are no other cases, that this was an isolated case. On this farm where the case occurred, only one animal was found to have Newcastle. The protocol was followed, exterminating the animals, burying them, isolating them, all of this was done transparently, which will allow us to quickly open up the markets,” Fávaro told reporters after participating in a meeting of the Superior Council of Agribusiness of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP) about the 2024/2025 Harvest Plan.
The minister did not give deadlines, but reported that the government has been meeting daily with markets that purchase chicken meat to reduce the areas restricted by this self-embargo.
“It is a country-by-country, block-by-block negotiation, but we understand that, with the evidence coming that the rest of the herd is not contaminated, this will be quickly released,” added Roberto Perosa, the ministry’s Secretary of Commerce and International Relations.
Amnesty
During the event held this afternoon at Fiesp, the minister also confirmed the possibility of a debt amnesty for producers in Rio Grande do Sul who were harmed by the rains and floods. According to him, the provisional measure on this amnesty is in the process of being drafted and could be published by July 30. “We are in the process of drafting [da MP]. But we want to publish this provisional measure by the 30th,” said the minister.
“I’m not going to say that we’re going to grant amnesty to all producers. But how is a producer who suffered a flood on his property, in his own home, going to honor a commitment to finance his expenses that is coming due? So, based on technical criteria, it’s possible that these debts for expenses and investments for the years 2024 and 2025 will be amnestied, which is also part of our proposal to be amnestied. In parallel, there are lines of credit for reconstruction,” explained the minister.
Harvest Plan
During the event, the minister addressed the agricultural sector and asked for patience, complaining that there was an exaggerated reaction from producers when there was a delay in the launch of the Safra Program. According to the minister, the program was finally structured on June 26, but the announcement was delayed due to problems with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s schedule.
“We had scheduled the announcement of the Safra Plan for June 27. But on June 28, 29 and 30, President Lula had agendas outside of Brasília. On July 1 and 2, he also had agendas outside of Brasília. So we decided to launch the Safra Plan on July 3. Two days after the end of the previous Safra Plan. And this had already happened before,” explained Fávaro.
“Nobody needs to like the government, President Lula or me. We are not participating in a sympathy contest. The sector is very important for Brazil and all our demonstrations are about opening up markets and promoting growth. [do setor]. But intolerance is becoming boring, it’s losing its charm,” he said. “Opposition is legitimate and it means that we live in a democracy. But intolerance is becoming boring,” he stressed.
