He National Milk Institute (Inale) published an analysis regarding the dairy trade balance between Brazil and the Uruguay during the year 2023 – a period that was marked by the possibility of cutting off the country’s imports to protect the internal production – and concluded that it increased by 50% during 2023 compared to 2022.
Last year, the neighboring country imported dairy products for a total of 1.3 billion dollars, where three items could be highlighted. First of all, the whole milk powderIn second place is the skimmed milk powder and, finally, third place is occupied by cheeses. Like Argentina, Uruguay is one of the leading suppliers of whole milk powder.
Regarding dairy exports in general, Uruguay managed to export a total of 855.4 million dollars during 2023, representing a drop of 8% compared to the previous year. The leading product was whole milk powder with a total of 568.7 million dollars, being Brazil the main destination occupying a share of 50% of the total.
Uruguay makes a strong presence in the Brazilian market
Regarding the country’s participation in the dairy market of the neighboring country, Uruguay has one of the predominant positions. What refers to the importation of the whole milk powder, Uruguay occupies 47% of the total, surpassing Argentina with 44% and Paraguay with 6%. Instead, with the skimmed milk powder, Uruguay occupies second place, participating in 28% of the total, just behind Argentina which has 54% and ahead of Chili which has 5% participation.
The cheeses, For its part, they are a sector that Argentina leads with 83%, followed by Uruguay with 12% and Netherlands with 1%. As for the serum, Uruguay also occupies second place with 10%, behind Argentina which has 62% of the participation and ahead of USA which has 9%. In the butter The same thing happens, with the country having a 23% participation, Argentina 58% and New Zealand 11%.
A turbulent year
In the middle of 2023, the Brazilian government considered the possibility of putting a stop to dairy imports with the aim of promoting production and internal trade. The measure sought to change the tax incentives granted to agroindustries, cooperatives and dairy sectors, which participate in the Mais Leite Saudável Program (PMLS), of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA).
However, following a demand from the Confederação da Agricultura e Pecuária do Brasil (CNA) and the Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives (OCB) In September of last year, the government sought to limit the benefit of using 50% of the presumed credits to establishments that only buy from national producers, while companies that bought milk Abroad they should continue with standard taxes and could use only 20% of these credits.
Faced with this, the minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fishing (MGAP), Fernando MattosI travel to Brazil to hold a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Carlos Favaroand personally convey your concern about the delays at border crossings for the export of Uruguayan dairy products.
At that meeting, which took place in the municipality of Esteio (Rio Grande do Sul), Mattos noted that “the presence and incidence of (the products of) Uruguay in the market Brazil “should not be singled out for the situation that Brazilian (dairy) producers are experiencing.”
After the meeting, the head of the MGAP highlighted the exchange between both delegations and the openness of the Brazilian authorities to consider the Uruguayan demands, implying that an understanding was reached.
Source: Ambito
