R
eflecting the political changes that are occurring in Brazil, the relation-
ships between the government and the supply chain have also gone
through a new moment in the second half of 2016. Within this context,
things have changed for the better, in the understanding of the tobacco
segment. The visit of theminister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Sup-
ply, Blairo Maggi, to the tobacco growing region in Rio Grande do Sul, in July, paved
the way for proactive and positive dialogue. Since 2006, when then minister Rober-
to Rodrigues visited the Expoagro Afubra exhibition, and traveled around the Vale
do Rio Pardo region, something representative in this sense has not occurred. Since
then, no less than 10 years have elapsed.
A hearing in October, at which the Chief of Staff, Eliseu Padilha, lent his support
to the sector, reinforced this new relationship between the government and the sup-
ply chain. The position was welcome and yielded fruit. “There is an apparent shift
in mentality”, comments Iro Schünke, president of the Interstate Tobacco Industry
Union (SindiTabaco).
“The minister of Agriculture sees the supply chain as it is, a business that generates
income for the small-scale farmers, brings home billions of taxes, hefty revenue for the
Country derived from the 85% tobacco exports, it creates jobs, is environmentally re-
Supportcoming
fromgovernment
ministersbrings
relieftothe
tobaccosupply
chainandprojects
afuturewith
greaterchances
fortalkson
behalfofthe
farmers
sponsible and lends support to other activities on the small holdings”, he adds.
Schünke viewed as excellent minister Maggi’s visit to Vale do Rio Pardo, on July 22. “The minister and his dele-
gation came to know people and processes, from inputs to leaf industrialization, they were given technical and eco-
nomic information, talked with the farmers, workers, officials and leaderships of the region. As far as the importance
of the sector goes, this visit yielded better results than lots of meetings in Brasília”, he argues.
Themayor of Venâncio Aires, Airton Artus, former president of the Association of Tobacco Growing Municipalities
(Amprotabaco), understands that this position of the ministers recomposes to a certain extent the balance of the in-
stitutional relations. Up to then therewas dialoguewith the government, but it was truncated, therewas no frank, di-
rect, straightforward and receptive channel. “Of course, there were some important interlocutors in the past govern-
ments, who used to listen to the sector’s demands and submit them to the federal authorities, but the present frank
position, the professional understanding of the business by the minister, who is also a farmer and one of the most
important agribusiness entrepreneurs in the Country, makes a difference”, he acknowledges.
n
beneficial
It is
Sílvio Ávila
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