At a press conference held on Tuesday (29), in the Chamber of Deputies, the president of the Parliamentary Front of Agriculture (FPA), Congresswoman Tereza Cristina (DEM-MS), other members of the Front and entities of the national productive sector an immediate end to the strike by truck drivers in the country. The demonstrations have already brought losses of more than R $ 10 billion in the main chains of the agricultural sector, in addition to the lack of supply to the population.
At the time, the president of the FPA, Ms. Tereza Cristina, said she asked the federal government for security and escort to truck drivers who want to return to work and are being stopped by other demonstrators. The deputy stressed that the FPA supported the demonstration at the beginning, but now follows with concern the developments that have already brought irreparable losses to the country’s production.
“We are here with representatives from poultry, sugar cane, meat, milk and hortifrúti to show the impacts already generated to the country, with the complete stoppage of the production of several of these chains. This is reflected in inflation, supply, food prices for the population. I appeal to the truck drivers for the end of the strike. We will resume the jobs and production that supplies Brazil and the world, “said the deputy.
For the president of the Institute Pensar Agro (IPA), which brings together 40 entities from the agricultural sector, Fábio Meirelles Filho, the beginning of the movement was fair, but one must be aware of the damage caused and unlock the country. “It is necessary to think like a nation. The injury is for all Brazilians, “he said. According to him, more than R $ 1 billion have been lost with the discard of milk and more than 64 million deaths of adult birds and chicks. “About 1 billion birds and 20 million pigs are currently receiving insufficient feed and this number may increase,” said the IPA president.
FPA vice-president, Deputy Alceu Moreira (MDB-RS), said that it is necessary to realize that the damage will be paid by all. “We are dealing with the lack of medicine, equipment in hospitals. We want Brazil to return to work, “said the parliamentarian.
According to the technical superintendent of the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA), Bruno Lucchi, only in the primary production sector the losses already total more than R $ 6.6 billion, outside the industry of processes and inputs. “The population who will pay for it. It’s not just the producer. It will take a long time to reestablish order, “said Lucchi. The superintendent further complimented that effective measures should be taken immediately to enforce the right to come and go of any citizen.
In the sugar cane sector, the president of the Sugarcane Industry Union (Unica), Elizabeth Farina, warns that all the mills and suppliers of the raw material in the state of São Paulo are now in a standstill. “There are 310,000 jobs at stake, 150 mills completely stationary. It is a serious damage to the 100% Brazilian fuel that helps in the competition of the market prices, “Farina said.
Discarded milk and non-feed animals
For the vice president of the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), Ricardo Santin, another 30% of the injury caused in the sector will stop at the table of the Brazilian, who is already charging with abusive prices of products of basic need. “We represent the chains of pigs, birds and eggs. Every day, our productions suffer losses that reach billions of reais with product discard or animal death. Food will be missing. More than one million birds are dying each day, “he said.
According to data from the Brazilian Dairy Association, Viva Milk, more than 360 million liters of milk were discarded. For the association’s representative, Gustavo Beduschi, factories across the country will take at least a month to return to normal production. For the president of the Brazilian Association of Milk Producers (Abraleite), Geraldo Borges, the situation has already crossed the limits. “Dairy cows, without adequate feed, are stopping producing milk. The country can not go through this anymore. “
In the presidency of the Brazilian Association of Pig Breeders (ABCS), Marcelo Lopes appeals to truck drivers to release the trucks that transport animal feed. According to him, there are more than 30,000 families that can not feed their animals, those who have survived. “We will have a total shortage in the country. This must end immediately, “Lopes said.
In the beef chain, the situation is also critical because of lack of animal feed. The representative of the Brazilian Association of Refrigerators (Abrafrigo), Paulo Mustefaga, said that the beef sector has already lost US $ 200 million in exports and more than R $ 400 million per day in domestic production.
Export of soybeans
In soybeans, the main concern is with the exports of the product. According to the executive director of the Brazilian Association of Soybean Producers (Aprosoja Brazil), Fabricio Rosa, Brazilian soybean importing countries are having to seek the product in other regions competing with Brazil. In addition, the disposal of soybeans already harvested is a daily hardship suffered by productions throughout the country.
Corn also suffers from the lack of inputs to start the harvest that should have already taken place. The director estimates that more than 2.2 billion tons of corn will be harvested in the next harvest. “We are interdependent chains. What reflects in one, harms the other, “said Rosa.
Containment of federal expenses and reduction of taxes
For the leader of the PSDB in the Chamber and former president of the FPA, Ms. Nilson Leitão (MT), the two main measures to solve the problem, not only in the short term, are the containment of spending in the National Congress, the Executive and the Judiciary , in addition to the reduction of taxes. “A bill I authored to exempt PIS / Confins diesel production was passed in the House floor last week. This is the first of many challenges so we can improve the situation, “said the leader.
The problem that triggered the strike is not recent, according to the leader. “Since 2013, truck drivers and cargo carriers have demanded a reduction in the price of diesel fuel and its taxation. Governments did not take steps to improve this picture, which only worsened. The demonstration was legitimate, but it has to stop. “
For him, a joint work between the state governments, Petrobras and the federal government should be done to solve the problem and ensure the economic and social development of the country. “Diesel oil can not be an instrument of taxation, because it is an important input for Brazil,” he said.
Lack of legitimacy and security
According to representatives of the category of freelancers and freight transport companies, there is a clear movement that wants to denigrate the legitimate manifestation of the sector. For the president of the National Association of Freight and Logistics, José Fernandes, a great injustice is being committed with cargo companies. “We do not have road safety for those who no longer want to join the strike. We are absolutely at the disposal of those who transport and work throughout the country. “
Alceu Moreira (MDB-RS) also warns of the huge lack of safety on Brazilian highways for those who want to leave the movement. “The government is having difficulty locomoting these trucks. We get calls from hundreds of truck drivers who want to get back to work. “
According to the vice-president of the FPA in the Federal Senate, Cidinho Santos (PR-MT), there are reports of trucks transporting rations being burned in Bahia. According to deputy Alfredo Kaefer (PP-PR), a member of the FPA, the impact of this strike on the international market will be extremely detrimental to Brazil’s export agenda.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.