Rio, 10 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) has begun its third Family Budget Survey which investigates the consumption habits of households in Brazil. This is the first time the survey will be conducted in both urban and rural areas throughout the entire country.

A thousand interviewers will visit 60,000 households (45,000 in urban areas and the rest in rural areas). The data gathering process will last a year. The results are scheduled to be released at the end of 2003. The main objective of the survey is to find out how much money Brazilian households spend and what they spend it on.

The president of IBGE, Sérgio Besserman Vianna, says the survey will provide an accurate portrait of Brazilian reality and make it possible to update information on poverty and inflation. "The survey will be fundamental for drawing up policy at all levels, for the government, the private sector, NGOs and unions," said Vianna. (AB)