Agribusiness in Rio Grande do Sul talks about the collapse of livestock farming into fruit and vegetable farming

In addition to the 20% that remained to be harvested, there was a volume already received in warehouses and silos that was also lost in the floods. Faced with this reality, the country must prepare for a shortage of around one million tons, according to Carlos Cogo.

This Tuesday (7), President Lula stated that he is already considering the possibility of importing the food. “If this is the case, to balance production, we will have to import rice, we will have to import beans, to put a price on the Brazilian people’s table that is compatible with what they earn,” he stated.

The consultant from Rio Grande do Sul is not optimistic about this possibility. “Maybe there will be a shortage of between 1 million and 1.5 million tons. We don’t have that available in the Mercosur countries. The minister [Carlos Fávaro] asked me that [de um acordo comercial com os
países vizinhos], but they do not have this possibility of exchange. Importing from Asia is extremely difficult and takes time. I don’t see an upcoming exit for our stocks. There will be shortages, it’s clear.”

From fruits to agricultural machinery

Carlos Joel, from Fetag, says that producers report losses not only in soybeans, corn, rice and livestock silage. In conjunction with the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company (Emater-RS), rescue efforts continue, including because there is more rain forecast for Wednesday (8). Sheds, tractors and other infrastructure constitute an incalculable loss.

“Agricultural machinery, meat and milk animals, and storage infrastructure are also gone. Even highly sealed silos may have had problems. The losses are very large, it is incalculable, in addition to the lives lost”, he says.