Harvest Plan 2023/2024 is launched by the Government of Paraná with R$54,3 billion in resources raised

Governor Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior presented this week the menu of the 2023/2024 Harvest Plan for farmers, businesspeople and sector entities in Paraná. R$54,3 billion was raised from various sources, including Banco do Brasil, credit cooperatives and the Regional Development Bank of the Far South (BRDE). This package is intended for funding and investments for family farmers and medium and large agricultural producers. The initiative, the largest in the State's history, aims to both financially support producers and encourage increasingly sustainable activities.

These credits will be applied to three purposes. The largest portion is allocated to funding and commercialization: R$46,3 billion. New investments in the sector will consume R$9,6 billion of these resources. Another R$1,1 billion will be invested in actions with different purposes. The main objective is to make activity in the field more profitable, competitive and green, improving the production, storage and commercialization structure and protecting enterprises against events that cause losses. All without losing sight of the relationship with environmental preservation

According to the governor, this announcement marks the beginning of the agricultural year, which begins in the second half of the year, and serves as an incentive for farmers to access resources and expand production. The 2022/2023 soybean harvest, for example, was the largest in the State's history, with 22 million tons.

Ratinho Junior explained that the State Government took advantage of the national Harvest Plan, launched in June by the federal government, and provided new resources to improve credit conditions for Paraná farmers. “We wanted to further enhance this credit to serve farmers in Paraná, especially small producers. We want to continue with what we do best, which is producing food for the world sustainably”, stated Ratinho Junior.

One of the financial institutions supporting the initiative is BRDE, with the expectation of financing R$800 million this harvest. “This year we will have a record number allocated to finance investments in agribusiness in Paraná. We captured this resource and equalized it with the Ministry of Agriculture, which, together with the BNDES limits, means that we can provide this support to cooperatives, farmers and also promote the Banco do Agricultor Paranaense”, explained the director of BRDE in Paraná, Wilson Bley Lipski.

In the previous harvest, BRDE recorded a total of R$1,6 billion in operations and Paraná was responsible for 35% of this total, equivalent to R$560 million. Furthermore, BRDE financed rural activity by over R$135 million, with free resources, totaling R$695 million in this period.

FARMER'S BANK 

Another big announcement is part of this movement to bring subsidized credit to farmers, with new lines within the Banco do Agricultor Paranaense. The main novelty is the differentiated service for women included in the National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture (Pronaf) interested in investing in their properties. The State will assume 100% of the interest on loans taken out for this purpose.

Thinking about sustainability, the Government of Paraná will also equalize the total interest for investments in renewable energy, whether solar or biomass, and irrigation for all Pronaf participants. For medium and large producers, who do not qualify for Pronaf, the State will cover up to 5 percentage points of the interest rate. In addition, the financing limits to be equalized were increased.

Pronaf's financial support for farmers continues with the guarantee of zero interest for those who decide to invest in agro-industries; production, capture and storage of water; production of pine nuts and yerba mate; productive chains of silk, coffee, vegetables, flowers, fruits and organic/agroecological production; rural tourism; beekeeping; and family farming cooperatives.

To make these initiatives of the Banco do Agricultor Paranaense viable, R$ 155 million is planned through the Economic Development Fund (FDE), operated by Fomento Paraná.

“We are focused on transforming Paraná into the world’s supermarket, to generate jobs in the State and wealth in the countryside. To achieve this, we need to value rural workers”, highlighted the governor. “We will provide better conditions, including zero-interest financing, to farmers who need to buy equipment, modernize their property, install solar energy to reduce costs and have clean energy.”

The state secretary of Agriculture and Supply, Norberto Ortigara, explained that despite the federal government's Safra Plan bringing a large volume of resources, the national economic situation, with the Selic on the rise, meant that the financing lines had higher interest rates. high levels, which make investments difficult. “Therefore, within this movement, the State Government is allocating resources to make financing lines even cheaper. Those focused on family production, energy generation and irrigation, for example, will have zero interest,” he said.

STATE PROGRAMS

In this Tuesday's announcement, financial contributions were also confirmed for other already successful programs in the State. This is the case of the Paraná Family Farming Cooperativism Support Program (Coopera Paraná). The initiative, created in 2019, has already served 101 cooperatives and 66 associations, formalizing 217 projects. It will receive an additional R$31,5 million for investment and funding.

For Compra Direta Paraná, through which the State purchases food from cooperatives and family farming associations to distribute them through the assistance network, an additional R$60 million will be allocated. As a means of comparison, between 2020 and 2022, the program had raised R$85,1 million.

More than R$193 million will also be injected into another initiative that combines economic and social aspects, the Children's Milk Program. It ensures income for more than 3.600 small livestock farmers, whose pasteurized milk is purchased by the State Government. The product is then distributed to 118 thousand children from needy families, ensuring income for producers and food for small people in Paraná.

R$ 12,8 million will also be allocated from the State Treasury to assist in taking out insurance to cover crops through the State Subsidy for the Rural Insurance Premium (PSR). The objective is to expand coverage of insured areas.

WATER

During the event, at Palácio Iguaçu, a soil and water conservation program was also announced, the challenge of which is to protect 30 water sources in Paraná by 2025. It is expected to be officially launched on September 21st. A social report from IDR-Paraná (Institute for Rural Development of Paraná – Iapar – Emater) was also presented, which works daily to improve the production of people from Paraná.

DIGITAL

The event also featured the launch of the world's first accessible tractor. The equipment is produced at the New Holland factory in Curitiba. The TL5 Accessible model is intended for people with motor disabilities in the lower limbs, allowing them to carry out their activities in the field.