Brasília – Brazil’s National Supply Company (Conab) will hold a new auction on November 5th to trade in raw rice for the processed variety, which will enable it to ship 1,000 tons of the product to Palestine.
Conab offers a larger amount of raw rice to each bidder in exchange for processed rice, which must be bagged and loaded onto a ship – which is docked at the Port of Rio Grande, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul – by December 15th. Bidders are also required to meet all customs fees, among other expenses. This type of arrangement enables a swifter operation, since the rice intended for humanitarian aid reaches its destination ready to be donated.
The action is coordinated by the Brazilian Foreign Ministry and the shipping of processed rice will be taken care of by the United Nations World Food Programme. This type of action by Conab allows the Brazilian federal government to donate public food inventory surpluses for international humanitarian aid, while not detracting from the domestic market.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
