F
rom an institutional viewpoint, for the tobacco supply chain the 21st
century could have started in 2016. It was in June this year that, for the
first time in a century, the sector managed to gain access to the dialogue
channels with the federal government and present the activity as one of
the mainsprings of social and economic development in South Brazil,
with reflections throughout all regions across the Country.
Maybe the biggest example of the change in the scenario is the meeting held on
18th October, in the Planalto Palace, in Brasília. In the building, epicenter of Bra-
zil’s political power, a committee of representatives of all stages of the tobacco
supply chain was welcomed by the minister of the Civil House Eliseu Padilha, the
second man in the hierarchy of the Brazilian federal government.
Deeply interested in the theme, he made questions, listened to reports and
wanted to know details about tobacco farming in Brazil. The meeting had a special
meaning, as it took place days before the definition of the stance to be adopted by
Brazil at the 7th conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention on Tobac-
co Control, scheduled for New Deli, in India, in November.
Padilha made it clear that he is favorable to tobacco farming in Brazil. His word
may not represent the official and definitive version of the Brazilian government,
Aftersuffering
fromthelack
ofinterestby
thefederal
governmentfor
manyyears,the
sectorisresuming
talkswithofficial
authorities,afact
thatencourages
thesupplychain
but it exerts an enormous impact and influence. Along with the minister of Agri-
culture, Livestock and Food Supply, Blairo Maggi, a man of power in the complex
chessboard of the government in Brasília, and Padilha constitute a duo capable
of picturing the tobacco supply chain in realistic manner behind the scenes of the
power of the capital city of the Country.
The billions in revenue from the tobacco supply chain are also taken into con-
sideration at a moment when the public accounts of all spheres are in a calamitous
condition. “Should the restrictions against tobacco continue, Brazil’s losses are ex-
pected to double. Revenue from exports will go down, and tax evasions from the il-
licit cigarette trade will go up”, said Eliseu Padilha at the end of the meeting, while
again expressing his support to the sector.
n
Federal government
demonstrates direct
interest in the course
of this activity
dialogue
Finally, the
n
Agricultureminister BlairoMaggi,
on the other page, Chief of Staff of the
Presidency, Eliseu Padilha, above,
wanted to knowmore about tobacco
RomérioCunha/CasaCivil
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