The new Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, announced clear plans for the country’s agricultural policy on January 2, according to the Dutch website Nieuwe Oogst.
For example, he announced that he would reward farmers with cheap loans if they take steps to reduce carbon emissions. This could mean that European agriculture and agricultural production could face additional competition from Brazilian farmers.
In addition, Lula da Silva said that he wants to modify the MERCOSUR trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Latin American countries. Industry experts in the EU expressed concern about the impact of agricultural exports from MERCOSUR countries on European agriculture and indicated that certain conditions must be imposed when the treaty is ratified.
These conditions are mainly focused on the export of corn as a result of the expansion of agricultural land in the place of the cleared Brazilian jungle. This environmental argument is used not only by environmental organizations such as Greenpeace, but also by European agricultural umbrella organizations that oppose increased meat imports from South America.
That Lula da Silva would follow a very different agricultural course from his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, was to be expected given his previous presidency. Lula da Silva announced last week that she had appointed former environmental activist Marina Silva as the new environment minister. She was also a minister for several years during the previous administration of President Lula da Silva and is known as the protector of the Amazon rainforest.
Lula da Silva also announced his commitment to the development of family farming in Brazil. She claims that these farms are capable of feeding the entire country. Finally, the president announced that he wanted to increase agricultural production in Brazil without cutting down a single tree.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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