Brazil may have to import rice and beans due to the floods in Rio Grande do Sul, says Lula

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) stated this Tuesday (7) that Brazil may find itself facing… Brazil may have to import rice and beans in the face of floods in Rio Grande do Sul, says Lula was published first in Band B.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) stated this Tuesday (7) that Brazil may find itself faced with the need to import rice and beans due to the greatest climate tragedy in the history of Rio Grande do Sul. According to him, the measure would emerge with the objective of balancing national production and lowering food prices.

The statement by the head of the Executive was given during the “Good morning, President” program, which featured the participation of Band B, the only radio station in Paraná to ask questions directly to Lula.

The topic was already being discussed between Lula and the Agrarian Development and Agriculture ministries because of the rise in the prices of food that make up the basic food basket. The cost of these products has continued to rise above average since October last year. In March, the Lula government stated that it expected a drop in food prices by April. In the same month, the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro, stated that the price of a bag of rice had already reduced from R$120 to R$100.

“Now with the rain, I think we’ve delayed the harvest for good [de arroz] of Rio Grande do Sul. Therefore, if this is the case, to balance production, we will have to import rice and beans so that we can put a price on the Brazilian people’s table that is compatible with what they earn”, said Lula this Tuesday- fair (7).

Rio Grande do Sul is the main rice producer in Brazil, as it accounts for 70% of the grain’s national production. Considered the third most cultivated cereal on the planet, the food is likely to suffer price pressure. The rains that hit the state could drop the rice harvest by between 10% and 11% and cause losses of R$68 million, estimates Datagro.

There was an expectation that Rio Grande do Sul would harvest 7.5 million tons of rice in 2024, but, due to the rains, the state should harvest a harvest of a maximum of 6.8 million tons.

The National Confederation of Municipalities (CNM) estimates that agriculture has already suffered a loss of R$423.8 million due to the rains that hit RS.

The tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul

• 90 deaths
• 132 missing
• 361 injured
• 1,367,506 affected people
• 48,147 homeless (those who had their house destroyed and need shelter from the public authorities)
• 155,741 homeless (those who had to leave their home, temporarily or permanently, and do not necessarily need a public shelter)

Brazil may have to import rice and beans due to the floods in Rio Grande do Sul, says Lula was first published in Banda B.