years, nonetheless, the Ministry of Agricul-
ture, Livestock and FoodSupply (Mapa) proj-
ects anannual increaseof 2.1 to3percent.
Mapa officials mention expectations ex-
pressed by the technical staff at Embrapa
Dairy Cattle, linked to the ministry, conced-
ing that the expectation sounds reason-
able, particularly based on “farm adminis-
tration improvement and in higher animal
productivity and fewer lactating cows”,
which, have in fact decreased in number.
What is also ascertained is a concentration
on the production process and speedier in-
corporation of technologies, especially by
medium-sized and commercial producers
and, in the meantime, the industry is go-
ing through transformations, intended to
make the sector more competitive.
Judging from Mapa’s projections, con-
sumption is supposed to soar at levels that
match production, while the persistent for-
eign deficit could be reduced, with higher ex-
ports than imports, whichnowprevail. In the
productive process, heed is paid to research
works, as there is still “much technology to
be incorporated, where programs like “Full
Bucket” and “Educampo” contribute toward
thedeploymentoftechnology.And,atindus-
trial level, one of thepriorities is theAdminis-
trationofMilkQuality, according to initiatives
bytheDairyAssociation,seeking“excellence,
with higher competitiveness and visibility in
the markets at home and abroad”, with ev-
erythingsuggestingthatmorepromisingand
less uncertain routes will be covered by this
representative segment.
Sílvio Ávila
37
