Regulating a 2022 law that allows the portability of the food and food vouchers to help cheaper the price of food, the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad said on Thursday. Upon returning from a meeting at Granja do Torto, he denied that the government intends to use budget resources to cheapen the food price.
According to Haddad, the government should advance with the portability of meal and food tickets, which could cheapen the rate of 1.5% to 3% charged by card administrators. The minister reported that the federal government studies the regulation of the Law 14,422sanctioned three years ago, which changed the Worker Food Program (PAT) and creates portability, through which the worker can choose the company’s managing company, currently defined by the human resources of each company.
“I think it has a regulatory space there, which would be up to the Central Bank, already by law, but it was not done until the end of the previous management. I think there is a regulatory space that we intend to explore in the short term, ”said Haddad, upon returning from a meeting of about nine hours with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and the ministers of the Civil House, Rui Costa, and the secretary of Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic, Sidônio Palmeira.
For Haddad, the largest competition between food voucher and meal flags may result in a reduction in card rates. According to the minister, this, in theory, will cheapen the price of food, both in restaurants and supermarkets. The law also provides that the machines will be required to accept all cards of cards, rather than being linked only to accredited establishments.
“Better regulating portability, we understand that there is room for falling the price of food. Both the food stamp and the meal voucher. Because away food is as important as the purchase of food in the supermarket. Understanding that, regulating portability well, giving more power to the worker, he will find a way to enforce his resource, that benefit [a] That he is entitled, ”said the minister.
The regulation of the theme depends on the Central Bank, which will follow guidelines established by the National Monetary Council (CMN). This Thursday, there would be the January meeting of the agency, but the meeting was canceled for lack of topics to be voted.
Without public resources
A new Haddad meeting with President Lula is scheduled for 9am this Friday (24), at the official residence of Granja do Torto to study measures to reduce food price. Haddad denied that the government intends to resort to subsidies, which consume budget resources to intervene in the food market.
“No one is thinking of using tax space for this kind of thing. What we know is that what affected the price of food, especially milk, coffee, meat, fruits, is because they are commodities [bens primários com cotação internacional]These are exportable goods, they are part of our export agenda, ”he explained.
According to the minister, in addition to regulating the portability of the food and food vouchers, the drop in the dollar and the forecast of a new record crop this year will help reduce food prices. He has attributed the news of public resources to intervene in the market to rumors spread across anyone who dollar goes up.
“It’s a boat that matters to some people. Because a person can do whatever they want at a meeting. Now, transforming this into public policy, you have to go through minister, the president, the congress, you have to go through many people, ”said Haddad.
