Overview by AgriBrasilis (02/11 - 02/17)

Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil estimates agribusiness GDP growth of 2.5% in 2023. In 2022, the sector’s exports reached US$ 159.1 billion. (CNA)

Ministry of Agriculture seized 16,000 liters of adulterated orange juice in the State of Santa Catarina. Fines can reach US$ 28.64 thousand per fraudulent lot. (MAPA)

421 thousand tonnes of chicken meat were exported in January, a record because of the avian flu, that causes low supply of the product in the world market. Brazil, so far, remains disease free. Despite the increase in revenue, production costs have pressured the sector. (Brazilian Animal Protein Association)

Mata Nativa BR will invest US$ 5.24 million to recover forests. The amount will be used for environmental compensation and regularization projects in farms in the State of São Paulo. (Mata Nativa BR)

Investments of approximately US$ 2.86 billion per year are necessary to prevent grain storage deficit from worsening in Brazil. Deficit is estimated at 117 million tonnes for the current harvest. The 2022/23 Harvest Plan released US$ 980 thousand for investment in warehouses. (Sectorial Chamber of Grain Storage Equipment)

Sugarcane Industry Union states that rains are favoring the development of sugarcane fields for the 2023/24 season, that officially starts in April. According to a statement from Unica, “the rainfall that has been happening in recent months, especially in December and January, contributes to the good development of the farms and raises favorable expectations for the harvest”. (Unica)

Brazilian corn exports from January and February 2023 have already doubled when compared to the 2022 values for the same period. Revenue increase of 150%. The figures refer to the total of January and the first week of February. (AgroExport; Secex)

Ordinance No. 538/2022, published by MAPA, that regulates the production and use of seeds, updates normatives for the “own use” of seeds and seedlings as of March 1^st, 2023. “Declaration of own use” is mandatory, assuring good functioning of the National System of Seeds and Seedlings, established by Law 10.711/2003. It became mandatory to communicate, within 90 days after the harvest, the final weight of seeds reserved for planting in the following season. (Ministry of Agriculture)

Because of the cases of avian flu in South America, the State of Paraná requested for the Ministry of Agriculture to transform the State, or even the entire Southern region, into an autonomous unit, as happened in the case of swine fever, when Paraná was recognized as an autonomous area and as a disease-free zone. “…we need to evolve towards a technical-political decision with the Executive to constitute either Paraná or the South of the country, where 70% of the national poultry farming is located, in an autonomous unit, isolated from the rest of Brazil. If, for example, the virus enters the Amazon, it lowers our status in the perspective of the world”, said the secretary of Agriculture and Supply of Paraná, Norberto Ortigara. (Secretary of Agriculture and Supply of Paraná)

The city of Punta Arenas, in the extreme south, declared a state of water deficit emergency. Drought has seriously affected vegetable farmers and ranchers in the region. “In 2022, Punta Arenas had its driest year in 52 years,” said Nicolas Butorovic, a climatologist at the Universidad Regional de Magallanes. (Regional University of Magalhães)

Government is investigating the National Federation of Coffee Growers after the group lost millions in futures trading. Possible administrative omissions may have caused damages of up to US$ 120 million, that affected the coffers of the National Coffee Fund. The situation caused the departure of Roberto Velez, who led the FNC. A successor has not yet been chosen. (Comptroller General of the Union of Colombia)

Two agricultural and agroforestry systems have been recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “The designation of these sites in Ecuador boosts women’s empowerment, as 80% of them are managed by indigenous women…” said María Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director General. (FAO)