Brasília, January 7, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Before the end of the week, the government should announce measures to contain the crisis precipitated by Parmalat in Brazil. According to the Minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues, among the measures being considered are: authorization of credit from the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES) for dairy farmers' cooperatives; purchase of the product for social programs such as Zero Hunger; Federal Government Loans (EGF) to cooperatives and industries, as a way to guarantee a minimum price for the product; and the possibility of cooperatives' receiving milk from Parmalat as a way of recovering what they are owed. This milk would be passed along to the government.

According to the Minister, it is unimaginable for the government that dairy producers, especially the small farmers, be penalized as the result of a problem for what they don't have the least responsibility. Brazil currently produces 21 billion liters of milk per year. In the recent period Parmalat received three million liters daily from 19 thousand suppliers, individuals, coop members, or associates. (DAS)