Rio de Janeiro – The minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, Mendes Ribeiro, announced on Tuesday (19) that Brazilian agribusiness may exceed the US$ 100 billion export target this year, with growth of 5.7% over 2011.
“Although we have been having market problems in Russia and Argentina, other markets are opening,” said the minister, referring to the current trade barriers imposed by the government of Argentina on several products and to the Russian blockade on the exports of Brazilian pork and beef. China and Japan are among the countries with which Brazil plans to expand business in the pork and beef sectors.
Mendes Ribeiro participated, this morning, in seminar Food Safety and Sustainability in Agribusiness, in the Humanity 2012 space, an event in the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), which is taking place at Copacabana Fort.
Figures disclosed by the Ministry of Agriculture show that Brazilian agribusiness exports have totalled around US$ 97 billion in the 12 months up to May. Last year, exports reached US$ 94 billion.
*Translated by Mark Ament
