Minister Tereza Cristina (Agriculture, Livestock and Supply) participated yesterday, Thursday (22), in New Delhi (India), in the Seminar on Opportunities in Energy and Mining. At the event, the minister defended that India, in partnership with Brazil, expand the production and use of ethanol.

As of this Friday (24th), the minister will join the delegation of President Jair Bolsonaro in the country. On Saturday (25), the signing of up to 12 commercial agreements is expected. One of them must contemplate the ethanol sector.

Tereza Cristina pointed out that Brazil and India are responsible for approximately 55% of the global production of sugarcane and 35% of the global production of sugar. In the case of ethanol, Brazil manufactures more than 30 billion liters, the second largest producer in the world, while Indian production was only 1.5 billion liters in 2018.

“In this context, there is an enormous potential for cooperation between our nations. An increase in ethanol production in India would bring, in addition to the socio-economic benefits already observed, great environmental gains ”, he said.

According to the minister, the increase in ethanol production by India will help regulate the price of sugar in the world market, which is falling.

“The possibility of cooperation with India will serve to support the creation of the global ethanol market. From the point of view of India, we can mention the reduction of pollution in large cities, a greater supply of renewable energy and the reduction of dependence on oil imports ”.

The Minister of Mines and Energy, Bento Albuquerque, participated in the meeting; the Brazilian ambassador to India, André Aranha Correa do Lago; and India's Minister of State, R. K Singh.

Food security 

Tereza Cristina was also at the end of the Business Meeting on Complementarity and Partnership in Food Security, which brought together representatives from the Food Importers of India Forum and the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA).

United Nations estimates suggest that India should become the most populous country in the world by 2030, overtaking China. Given this projection, the minister pointed out that Brazil is able to be the main supplier of animal protein to the Indians.

In 2019, the first Brazilian chicken shipment to the Asian country was registered. In total, 33 tonnes of meat were exported to India last year. This market, according to the minister, should grow at an average rate of 7% per year, but the increase in Brazilian exports depends on the reduction of import taxes.

"For our strategic partnership in chicken meat to be established, it is essential to reduce import tariffs. In the case of frozen whole chicken, the percentage applied by India to imports of Brazilian product is 30%, while for frozen cuts the tariff reaches a level of 100%. With regard to pork, the Indian market was recently opened, although no sales have been made until the present moment, largely due to the 30% import tariff. for both proteins, the complex system of issuing import licenses still makes the process too time consuming and costly ", she said.