Brazil’s federal government published a decree on Jan. 25 that aims to create a working group of Brazilian federal government agencies who will be responsible for the preparation of the National Fertilizer Plan, which aims to increase the production and supply of national fertilizers, in addition to reducing the dependence on imported products and increasing the competitiveness of agribusiness in the international market.
A study by the Institute for the Strengthening of Agriculture in Goiás shows that fertilizers and pesticides make up almost half of soybean production costs, for example.
The group is made up of representatives from the Special Secretariat for Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic, the Civil House, and the Ministries of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Economy, Infrastructure, Mines and Energy, Environment and Science, and Technology and Innovations, in addition to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corp. (Embrapa), Office of Institutional Security and Advocacy-General of the Union. The Executive Secretariat will be in charge of the Special Secretariat for Strategic Affairs.
The meetings will be held in person or via videoconference every 15 days, and the group should last 120 days from the first meeting. The period may be extended for the same period. At the end of the term, the National Fertilizer Plan will be forwarded to the Special Secretary for Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic.