Senator discusses cocoa revitalization in Brazil

Producers, researchers, rural extensionists and mayors of cocoa producing areas in Rondônia, Bahia, Pará and Espírito Santo met on Tuesday, 01, with Senator Acir Gurgacz (PDT/RO), to discuss the future of cocoa production in Brazil. They claim the approval of a national policy for cocoa, the PL 4107/2019, and the strengthening of the Executive Board of the Cacaueira Farming Plan (CEPLAC) as an organ of research and extension of the sector. Senator Acir Gurgacz, who has always supported cocoa growers, and is the rapporteur for PL 4107/2019, has pledged to present his favourable opinion to the project at the next session of the Senate Agriculture Commission, scheduled for this Wednesday, 02. The senator will also submit a request to conduct a public hearing to discuss with the government and society the future of CEPLAC, scheduled for October 17th. "The production of cocoa is important for family farming, for the generation of jobs in the countryside and in the city, and needs to be strengthened with more research, more extension and more credit for producers," stressed Gurgacz. Data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and supply (MAPA) indicate that they were produced in the country in 2018, about 180,000 tons of cocoa, in a planted area of 745,000 hectares. This production moved around R $14 billion last year, generating 4500 direct jobs in factories involving more than 20000 families in the Campor.