States begin to launch versions of the Agro+ Plan

The government of Rio Grande do Sul is the first to officially adhere to the Agro + Plan, from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa). With this, RS reinforces Mapa's strategy of reducing bureaucracy and facilitating agricultural activity, with projected savings of up to R$1 billion for the sector. The Gaucho plan will be launched on the 21st. So far, the state has already received more than 100 demands from producer entities.

On the 29th, it will be the Tocantins government's turn to launch its plan to reduce bureaucracy, simplify and modernize agribusiness. According to the coordinator of Agro+ no Mapa, Ricardo Cavalcanti, the states' adherence will improve the lives of producers and reduce costs in the production process.

Among the new actions of the federal Agro+ are the search for a solution for the disposal of approximately 500 thousand tons of pigs and birds that died due to routine causes (not due to disease), such as accidents and climate disasters, on rural properties. A working group must present solutions to the problem, which involves the environment, public health and labor issues.

Another measure adopted was the change in legislation that establishes a temperature of -18°C for freezing pork cuts. Under the new rule, the temperature rose to – 12º C. This has a significant impact on electricity expenditure, relieving the production cost of refrigerators.

Through Ago+, Mapa also determined the exemption from the Federal Inspection Service (SIF) stamp on beef carcasses, within meatpacking plants, with only the stamp being maintained for importing countries that require the SIF stamp. The measure will guarantee fewer losses when cleaning carcasses and speed up the production process.

Deadline for export

The Secretary of Agriculture of Tocantins, Clemente Barros Neto, is betting that Agro+ will increase the growth rates of agriculture and livestock in the state. “We are experiencing an average expansion of 10% per year in agriculture, thanks to productivity gains, while the other units of the Federation are advancing at around 2%.”

According to Barros, Tocantins still needs the deadline for exporting grain seeds to be reduced. “The delay worries Minister Blairo Maggi”, he points out. He also cites barriers to importing fertilizers as a problem. “The lack of supplier options for these products makes it very expensive to plant crops.”

While RS and TO announce their plans, Mapa works to sensitize other states to adopt strategies to reduce bureaucracy in agribusiness. According to the coordinator of Agro+, Ricardo Cavalcanti, the dissemination and involvement with the plan in federal Agriculture superintendences is being done through videoconferences, which have already been held in the North and Northeast. Next week, similar actions should take place in the South, Southeast and Midwest.

Deputies from the Parliamentary Front for Debureaucratization are also committed to expanding Agro+. According to data from the parliamentary front, the annual cost of bureaucracy is R$46 billion, equivalent to 25% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).