‎Brazil News

To bring information to the population about organic products and their benefits, the 17th Annual Organic Product Promotion Campaign was launched this Monday (12). This year's theme is Organic Food: Flavor and Health in your Life. The initiative is from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply.

 

The campaign seeks to inform consumers about how organic products are produced, how to identify these products at fairs and on supermarket shelves, as well as about the existing controls to prevent fraud.

 

At the launch, the minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Tereza Cristina, informed that the ministry, in the short term, through the National Agency for Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (Anater), is allocating R$ 3 million for technical assistance to producers of organic.

 

“Organic production develops in harmony with nature, without neglecting income generation and social inclusion for the producer. It is the purest expression of sustainability in its three pillars: social, economic and environmental. It is a great option for those who want a healthy and nutritious diet”, said the minister.

 

The annual campaign was launched in a virtual seminar that takes place this Monday (12) and Tuesday (13) to debate the organic sector. Dialogue tables will be held with live broadcasts on YouTube from the National School of Agricultural Management (Enagro).

 

Industry data

The organic product is one that, whether in natura or processed, is obtained without the use of chemical pesticides and in a way that does not harm the local ecosystem. Currently, around 25 thousand producers are registered with the ministry as organic.

 

The production of organic food grew 30% in 2020, according to data from the Association for the Promotion of Organic Food (Organis). This increase in production, consumption and demand for food grown and processed in a more sustainable manner generated around R$ 5.8 billion in the domestic market.

 

safe product

Minister Tereza Cristina mentioned that the production follows quality control and safety rules. “The production of organic products in Brazil is supported by several control and quality assurance mechanisms that ensure compliance with the strictest safety standards,” said Tereza Cristina.

 

To be marketed, organic products must be certified by bodies accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture. Those produced by family farmers who are part of social control organizations registered with the ministry, which sell exclusively through direct sales to consumers, are exempt from certification.

 

For processed foods, only those with more than 95% of ingredients from organic agriculture are considered organic.

 

Organic production

The organic production system has among its purposes the offer of healthy products without contaminants. They are produced without the use of practices and inputs that could endanger the environment and the health of the producer, worker or consumer.

 

Another purpose is to preserve the biological diversity of ecosystems where production systems are located, with special attention to species threatened with extinction. There is also the use of products and processes that maintain or increase soil fertility.