Differences in the results of microbiological analyzes generate delays at the border and higher costs for producers in both countries.
He Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) works on tools to streamline trade between Uruguay and Brazil, the country’s main trading partner, through the standardization of inspection criteria for products that enter through the border in either direction.
The task is carried out by the General Directorate of Livestock Services of the MGAP, directed by Diego Freitasand aims to unify criteria with the authorities and technicians of the Department of Inspection of Products of Animal Origin of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA). In this way, the entry and exit of food in both countries would be streamlined at the border.
The problem that leads to this management is that problems continue to be registered with the Uruguayan dairy income because the results of the microbiologic analysis They are disparate. Uruguay, For its part, it rejected some trucks with pork after the results. This situation complicates and raises costs of both Uruguayan and Brazilian exporters.
In the case of milk, it also complicates a sector of commerce with Brazil which already comes with various obstacles: in September, the minister Fernando Mattos He traveled to the northern country precisely to free the dairy exportsthe main Uruguayan export product to Brazilian lands — which are, in turn, the main destination of local placements, as was also observed in October, when Uruguay exported 170 million dollars to this country.
At that time, the delays generated at border crossings had already been an issue on the discussion table.
Likewise, and after exports have resumed with relative normality after Mattos’ meeting with his Brazilian counterpart Carlos Fávaro, Brazil announced measures against the “unrestrained imports” of milk from countries of the Mercosur, which directly impact the fall in milk prices for local producers. This basically consists of tax measures that modify the fiscal benefits which were enjoyed by dairy importing establishments, originally created to encourage internal competitiveness.
It should be noted that the dairy exports of Uruguay to Brazil they fell a 26% year-on-year in October, despite continuing to be the main sector of trade between both countries.
The efforts of the MGAP
To continue streamlining trade in products of animal origin, this week De Freitas met with Lucio Kibuchi and Paulo Humberto of the Department of Inspection of Products of Animal Origin of MAPA, and a new technical meeting at the border to continue making progress in solving the problems. Although the meeting was very good, the Brazilian authorities are the ones who will make the final decision in this regard; possibly.
Likewise, the general director of Livestock Services participated in Brazil of the meeting promoted by the European Union and the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO)linked to the project that encourages all countries to work together to avoid antimicrobial resistance due to the misuse of antibiotics.
Source: Ambito
