Mills want more accuracy in the classification of the Brazilian wheat

The wheat processing industry will tighten the siege to raise levels of requirement for classification of wheat produced in Brazil. The President of the entity that represents the mills, the Abitrigo, Sergio Amaral, said that no formal proposal has been delivered so far to the Government, but negotiations with cereal production chain should start this year. The goal is that the new criteria to be used in government policies to support the marketing of cereal. When that happens, the change should be implemented gradually.
Three years ago was made a review of the quality parameters of wheat, whose implementation began in 2012 and should end next year. In the old parameters, for example, was considered "bread" wheat one with the characteristic of "gluten strength" (essential in the flour used in French bread) from 180. In the latest change, this level rose to 220. And the Abitrigo believes that a force of adequate gluten world standards is 250.
The Technical Director of the Organization of cooperatives of Paraná (Ocepar) and Mayor of the wheat Sector, linked to the Ministry of agriculture, Flávio Turra, said the State of Paraná can meet "relatively well" the current parameters of classification of cereal, but that there is today a mapping of what would be the condition of the paranaense wheat, for example, to fit in higher parameterslike 250 gluten strength.
In 2012, before the change, 90% of the wheat produced by the State was classified as class "bread", i.e., of better quality. With the increase of gluten strength parameter to 220, automatically, this percentage dropped to 65%, noted Turra. "These discussions in the cereal chain will start now. But we understand that the current parameters already guarantee good quality for baking, "he said.
According to Sérgio Amaral, the issue of classification is just one of several demands that the national milling industry have to equate with the Government. However, he said, many have already been resolved, such as the exemption of PIS/Cofins and the inclusion of the mills in financing credit line of storage.
A major concern in the industry, according to the President of Abitrigo, is centered on the consumption trend in the next few years, which has the "fad diets", a risk of impacting the cereal consumption.
He gives as an example the case of the United States, where a slice of 3% to 4% of consumers have already entered, without necessarily having an allergy or intolerance, the gluten-free diets, the main protein contained in wheat. "This is a reduction of the cereal market, since these products are made from starch-based rice or manioc and corn eventually," he said.
In Brazil, according to Amaral, the scenario is different, because the tendency is still to increase of consumption, due to the growth of income. "But the dietary restrictions brought by these fad diets are on the horizon. We must anticipate and in position ". The entity carries out between 19 and 21 October in Foz do Iguaçu (PR), a Congress to discuss these and other topics of interest to the sector. "We are forming a Scientific Committee within the Abitrigo to demystify food-related issues and health," he said.