Érica Santana
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - Brazil´s Superior Council of Agriculture and Livestock Raising (Rural Brasil), integrated by representatives of both the productive and cooperative sectors, estimates that US$31.6 billion (R$81.4 billion) will be necessary to finance the 2005/2006 crop. The estimate will be the basis for the Agriculture and Livestock Raising Plan for the next two years, and is part of a proposal given Wednesday (13) to the Minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues.

Of this total, US$26.6 billion (R$68.6 billion) will finance costs and commercialization of cotton, rice, beans, manioc, corn, soy, sorghum, wheat, castor beans, Arabica coffee, sugarcane, and cacao.

According to the head of the Economic Department of the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock Raising (CNA), Getúlio Pernambuco, volume resources available to the rural sector need to be 75.2% higher than what was available in 2004.

Translation: Andréa Alves