Against imports, entities from Santa Catarina call for the valorization of national rice

Entities from Santa Catarina joined together, this week, in an appeal for the valorization of national rice, reinforcing the position against the Federal Government's initiative to import rice. Among the institutions are the Santa Catarina Rice Industries Union (SindArroz-SC), the Central Brazilian Rice Cooperative (BrazilRice), the Santa Catarina Association of Irrigated Rice Seed Producers (Acapsa), the Federation of Agricultural Workers of State of Santa Catarina (Fetaesc) and the Federation of Agriculture and Livestock of the State of Santa Catarina (Faesc).

According to the entities, the initiative to import the grain will only serve to bring even more difficulties and losses to the rice production chain in Brazil, which has suffered from floods that devastate the state of Rio Grande do Sul. 

Together, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina are responsible for more than 80% of rice production in Brazil. A work carried out in partnership, since numerous industries and cooperatives in Santa Catarina have production units on Rio Grande do Sul soil and/or use the grain cultivated by Rio Grande do Sul residents for processing in SC units.

Harvest harvest and logistical problems

With the harvest of the 2023/2024 harvest already well advanced in both States – 84% in the cultivated area of ​​Rio Grande do Sul and almost 100% in the cultivated area in Santa Catarina –, even with the floods, the entities emphasize the guarantee that Grain production will not be impacted to the point of running out of rice for Brazilian domestic consumption.

Logistical problems in Rio Grande do Sul, such as the difficulty in transporting production due to highway closures, are already being overcome. Furthermore, negotiations for the purchase and sale of paddy rice for processing continue to be carried out between rural producers and the industries and cooperatives responsible for processing the grain.

Despite the great difficulties to be overcome in Rio Grande do Sul, the expectation of industries and cooperatives is that the rice production chain will soon be 100% normalized, guaranteeing food supply and security throughout the country, as well as avoiding the spike in of product price.

In view of the above and concerned about the future of the Brazilian rice production chain, Santa Catarina entities reinforce to the Federal Government, through the National Supply Company (Conab), the request to suspend the already open auction, which aims to purchase processed rice from abroad.