Minister of Agriculture announces R $ 500 million to support purchases of small producers during coronavirus

The Minister of Agriculture, Tereza Cristina, announced on Wednesday (8) R $ 500 million to support the purchase of family agriculture products during the pandemic of the new coronavirus. "The government should release a measure today, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Economy and Citizenship. We got R$ 500 million to put in these production chains," Tereza said during an arab chamber of commerce event broadcast over the internet. It was not clear whether the support will be made by Provisional Measure or by some rearrangement of the executive. According to the minister, this and other measures to support the sector should be approved by the National Monetary Council (CMN) to enter into force, which should occur on Wednesday. The money, the minister explains, will go to the federal government's Food Acquisition Program (PAA) and will mainly help producers of hortifrúti, milk, flowers and small cooperatives. The minister cited a drop in the sale of these farmers because of the closure of bars and restaurants during the pandemic. "The hortifrúti and flower sectors are more impacted. The consumption habit has changed at this time of pandemic. We need these production chains working, so we don't have a supply problem after (the coronavirus crisis)." In the PAA, the federal government buys these foods directly from farmers. After that, together with states and municipalities, it distributes the products in the cities of the country, so that they can be sold or data to those who need it. The appeal will come from the Ministry of Citizenship and will be administered by the National Supply Company (Conab), the Municipality of Agriculture. "Conab, which already has the data of family farmers, will operationalize this resource, which is very good." The minister also said that it should go to cmn analysis later on Wednesday "a series of measures" for the sector, including the proposal to extend funding for the cost and investment of agriculture as a whole. " (The extension should go) Until July 30 this year so that people can organize better and make this payment. Between today and tomorrow (Thursday), new measures should be announced", completed Tereza. According to Ivan Wedekin, former secretary of agricultural policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, the decision could bring relief to farmers, especially those in Rio Grande do Sul, who have had a major crop failure due to drought. "This measure is important for the short term. The important thing at the moment is not to have the interruption in the food production chain," he said. It was also published in the "Official Gazette of the Union" on Wednesday, a law passed in Congress that authorizes the distribution of school meals purchased by the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) to students' families during the suspension period of classes. With this, the purchases of the program will not be paralyzed and maintains a source of income for small producers. It is estimated that this injects R$ 1 billion into the sector.