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Georgina's blog: The phenomenal growth of agriculture in Brazil

10th May 2017 / By Alistair Driver

Georgina Brazil

Georgina is off on her travels again. The NPA's senior policy advisor is currently travelling the world gathering facts as part of a Nuffield scholarship looking at strategies to change farmer behaviour regarding antibiotic use on farm.

In March, she travelled to Brazil to attend the Nuffield Contemporary Scholars conference to kickstart the whole priocess. 

Georgina (Porgie Pig) is writing a blog on her Nuffield experiences and the latest covers her time in Brazil and outlines the factors behind the phenomenal growth of agriculture in the South American country. 

Georgina writes: "During the last 40 years, production in Brazil has increased 370% with only a 60% increase in land area used for crops and many put this down to advancements in technology.

"We were told that there are 5 million farmers in Brazil, but only 6% are responsible for more than 80% of production. The country is now the world’s biggest producer and exporter of soybean, sugarcane, coffee and orange juice.

"My colleagues in the pig industry will also be interested to know that pork production in Brazil has increased by 50% in the last 10 years, due to large increases in the consumption of pork (as well as chicken) by Brazilians, such that Brazil is now the fourth biggest producer and exporter of pigmeat. 79% of the pork they produce is consumed domestically.

Georgina Brazil2

"Brazil’s foreign trade policy to date has focused on negotiating deals as part of the Mercosur bloc, which is currently seeking a trade agreement with the European Union. Brazil itself only has three bilateral agreements.

"However, a shift is taking place and Brazil will now focus on trying to make Mercosur more effective as a trading bloc, but won’t wait around if things move too slowly; it will go ahead and secure bilateral trading agreements if necessary. Private companies in Brazil play a big role in deciding future trading markets."

It is well worth a read. Click here to read the Brazil blogs in full and to catch up on Georgina's earlier postings. 

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