El Niño: Lula says Brazil will be able to import rice to avoid price rises

Published May 7, 2024

Tridge summary

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is contemplating importing rice and beans due to delayed harvests from heavy rains in Rio Grande do Sul, which accounts for 70% of Brazil's rice production. The excessive rainfall and severe droughts cause significant losses and can lead to increased internal prices and decreased consumption, necessitating imports to meet demand. Brazil imports about 1 million tons of rice annually, primarily from Paraguay. The heavy rains have also resulted in numerous casualties and displacement, affecting over 1.3 million people.

Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

(By Agência Brasil) President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated this Tuesday that with the rains hitting Rio Grande do Sul, the government is considering importing rice and beans to balance production and avoid an increase in prices. — Now with the rain, I think we have delayed the (rice) harvest in Rio Grande do Sul once and for all. If this is the case, to balance production, we will have to import rice, we will have to import beans so that let us put a price on the table of the Brazilian people that is compatible with what they earn — said Lula during a radio interview. Rio Grande do Sul produces 70% of all rice in Brazil. The forecast this year was for a harvest of 7.4 million tons, but this calculation was made before the rains. The Brazilian rice market is relatively adjusted and national production is close to domestic consumption, which, annually, is around 10 million tons. Conab points out that periods of excessive rain or severe drought cause impediments to rice ...

Source: Planetaarroz