Agricultural Exports May Help Brazil Surpass Economic Crisis

A Brazilian diplomat who works with the World Trade Organization affirms that it is possible to increase the market for Brazilian products overseas if the country is able to remove trade barriers. He also claims that breaking the barriers could help Brazil surpass its economic crisis faster.

The same idea is expressed by Celso de Tarso Pereira during the fourth edition of the Agriculture Forum of South America: “We have competitive products, produced without subsidies, they should have unimpeded access in key markets”. Pereira explains that the main challenge for Brazilian exporters are enormous restrictions, quotas and tariffs. Apart from quotas and tariffs there are often restrictions by foreign buyers on Brazilian agricultural products, under the pretext that they do not follow international health standards.

In order to resolve this problem, Pereira proposes direct negotiations with potential importers, ‘to convince them that Brazilian products meet international health standards’.

The Brazilian government believes that by removing barriers and increasing agricultural exports, Brazil could surpass its economic crisis in a shorter time. According to the International Relations Secretary, at the Ministry of Agriculture, the government aims to increase the Brazilian agribusiness participation in world trade from the current 6.9% to 10%.