Councilors from all over Mato Grosso are speaking out against the Soy Moratorium, a commercial agreement between companies that are responsible for selling around 90% of all soy in MT. The actions have the support of the Union of Municipal Chambers of MT (UCMMAT), which has helped parliamentarians with information about the economic impact of the treaty.
The agreement made by companies associated with the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (Abiove) and the National Association of Cereal Exporters (Anec) prohibits companies from selling soybeans that were produced in legally deforested areas, in accordance with the Brazilian Forest Code. , in the Amazon biome after 2008.
The subject was the subject of debate during the 3rd Meeting of Councilors of Mato Grosso, held at the Zulmira Canavarros theater, in Cuiabá. According to the president of UCMMAT, Bruno Rios, the agreement mainly harms less developed municipalities, as it prevents them from selling the country’s main agricultural product, soybeans.
According to Bruno Rios, it is necessary for authorities and public bodies to take a stand against the trade agreement, which overrides Brazilian environmental legislation, which is the strictest environmental standard in the world.
“This agreement prevents the growth of municipal revenue collection and when there is a drop in revenue, automatically, the roads are left without repairs, schools are no longer built, investments are not made, especially the poorest municipalities, which will become poorer and it is not That’s what we want”, says the president of UCMMAT.
The councilor for Ipiranga do Norte, Alexandra Cossul, pointed out that the city’s City Council has already approved a request so that the State Government can act more energetically against the agreement. Still according to the councilor, regardless of the parliamentarians’ connection with agriculture, the agreement penalizes all Mato Grosso residents.
“I would like to ask each of you to take this issue to the City Council of each municipality. Regardless of whether it is from agriculture or not, this agreement directly harms everyone. We will put these requirements on the agenda and approve them, which UCMMAT will bring together and file with the State Government”, said the councilor.
MEASURES AGAINST MORATORIUM
In November 2023, around 100 mayors met with governor Mauro Mendes to request measures from the State Executive against the trade agreement. At the time, the governor promised to seek dialogue with the companies that are part of the agreement and, if there was no understanding, he said he would propose the end of the tax exemption for these companies.
Another action proposed by the governor was the sending of a bill to the Legislative Assembly of Mato Grosso to prevent NGOs that support the Moratorium agreement and, consequently, violate the national sovereignty of Brazilian legislation, from being prevented from participating in deliberative councils. .
Source: Politics Mato Grosso
