President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this Wednesday that he intends for Brazil to stop being an importer of fertilizers and questioned why the country is not yet self-sufficient in the input, as it is a large food producer.
During a speech at the inauguration event of an industrial complex in Minas Gerais with the capacity to produce 1 million tons of phosphate fertilizers per year, Lula also said that the war in Ukraine, caused by the invasion of Ukrainian territory by Russia, had to happen for him to wake up in Brazil the certainty that the country needs to produce fertilizers.
“We want to stop being an importer (of fertilizer). Last year we paid 25 billion dollars to import fertilizers to Brazil,” said Lula.
“This money could have been paid to businesspeople, who generate jobs, salaries and quality of life here,” added the president. He encourages businesspeople at Eurochem, responsible for building the unit, to invest in more fertilizer plants in Brazil.
President defends the revitalization of the fertilizer industry in Brazil
The president criticized the closure of fertilizer factories in Brazil in recent years, attributing it to a “mutt complex” existing in Brazil. He also said that the war in Europe changed the perception of fertilizer production needs.
Sanctions imposed by the West hit Russia, a major global producer of fertilizers, because of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Lula stated that the Russia-Ukraine war reinforced the need to produce fertilizers in Brazil, awakening national awareness.
The president also re-emphasized his optimism regarding the Brazilian economy, mentioning recent investment announcements from automakers and renewable energy projects as positive signs for the future.
“Now, things are improving again; Furthermore, companies will resume production, people will resume shopping, companies will resume sales, and this country is on the growth path again. Brazil will not waste the chance of the 21st century, unlike what happened in the 20th century”, he stated.
On the other hand, unemployment has already shown a significant reduction, and there is an optimistic expectation prevailing. Consequently, the Brazilian people will see more companies, such as Eurochem, resuming their investments in Brazil.
Source: Eduardo Simões | Notícias Agrícolas
