Rio - Resources from the Ministry of Agriculture for the organic farming sector will amount to US$ 689 thousand (R$ 2 million) in 2005. According to Minister Roberto Rodrigues, this represents an increase over this year's figure of R$ 400 thousand.

The Minister explained that the government's Pluriannual Plan (PPA) includes a specific program for organic farming (Pro-Organic), with projects in the areas of technology, rural extension, credit, producers' organization, technology diffusion, and commercial support mechanisms (advertising and marketing).

He informed that the idea is to invest mainly in the area of vegetable, fruit, and small-scale animal production, which is of greatest interest to small farmers. Rodrigues recalled that Brazil's current participation in the world organic market is small. He informed that, whereas in European countries organic products account for up to 20% of the domestic market, in Brazil this percentage doesn't surpass 2%. "There is an immense space in which to grow and conquer markets," he affirmed.

During a speech today at the inauguration of the BioFach Latin America 2004, in Rio de Janeiro, the Minister said that Brazil is the fifth largest producer of organics in terms of cultivated area. In his view, what is needed to raise the productivity of the cultivated area is to guarantee the sector more technology and greater publicity and trade promotion in the quest for markets.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Cristina Índio do Brasil
Translator: David Silberstein
09/08/2004