Brasília – The Ministry of Agriculture informed on Tuesday (8) that arrival on the market of products from the summer crop should help control food price increases. In Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Goiás and São Paulo, which started harvesting in January, expectations are for around 119 million tonnes of grain to be picked by April, mainly rice, maize and soy. The figure represents almost 80% of the 149.4 million tonnes forecasted for the 2010/2011 crop.
If the expected price decrease takes place, this should also result in lower inflation. "Due to the importance and weight of these products in inflation indices, I believe that the beginning of the crop may have an impact on consumers’ pockets," said the Study and Analysis manager at the National Food Supply Company (Conab), Carlos Bestétti.
Brazil is renowned as one of the main global producers of food and the main exporter of several agricultural commodities. The greater crop is seen worldwide as a way to avoid higher food prices in coming years.
Last week, the executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Josette Sheeran, stated that higher product prices have contributed to protests in the Middle East and North Africa, mainly in countries like Tunisia, whose president has already fallen, as well as Egypt and Jordan.
Bestétti believes that global exports by some producers of food should rise. "In the case of Brazil, exports of products like maize, rice and wheat may be expanded," she said.
*Translated by Mark Ament
