Brazil willing to admit US ethanol, if US opens market to fresh beef exports

Thursday, January 18th 2018 - 09:36 UTC

Full article 5 comments

Maggi implied that a decision on removing the ethanol import tariff could depend on resolving the dispute on beef exports.

Brazil is studying the removal of a 20% tariff on ethanol imports from the United States, Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi said on Wednesday, in a decision that could depend on Washington lifting a ban on fresh beef exports from Brazil. Last year, Brazil imposed a 20% tax on ethanol imported from the U.S. that exceeds a 600 million liter annual quota to protect local producers as imports spiked.

Also in 2017, the U.S. banned shipments of fresh beef from Brazil following on a food safety scandal involving bribes paid to inspectors that led to heightened inspections by the U.S. and in turn uncovered potential health risks.

Speaking to reporters, Maggi implied that a decision on removing the ethanol import tariff could depend on resolving the dispute on beef exports.

“There is on the part of the United States a big demand to withdraw this (ethanol tariff) and we also have this problem with beef,” Maggi said. “Obviously one thing influences and contaminates the other.”

The ban on fresh beef exports could be lifted by April, Maggi said, when he is expected to step down in order to meet a deadline to run for elected office in October.

Brazil has already submitted all of the material requested by the United States to address concerns over beef exports and is awaiting for the United States to decide whether the issue is resolved, he said.

Categories: Energy & Oil, Brazil, United States.

Tags: beef exports, Brazil, ethanol, fuel, Health risks, United States.

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:o))
: Does Brazil REALLY need the Imported Ethanol?
: Does the USA really NEED the Imported [rotten] Meat?
Jan 18th, 2018 - 10:05 am 0
Jack Bauer
“...to protect local producers as imports spiked.”....Don't get it...if imports 'spiked', it was presumably to attend local demand....which implies that the local producers weren't able to supply all the market's needs...here, something doesn't sound right...and what is the 20% tax trying to protect ? definitely not the local producer, but perhaps the brazilian consumer ? sounds more like just another tax to increase revenue, at the expense of the population.
Jan 18th, 2018 - 07:21 pm 0
:o))
@JB

With a suitable tropical weather, with plenty of land [+ even more land due to the deforestation] for cultivation and with alternative green energies [biofuels, etc] available within reach; it's difficult to believe that Brazil still DEPENDS on Ethanol-Imports!

Greater Inflation + Higher Taxes r just around the corner - not counting the pardons to almost ALL of the crooks [including Lula & a host of the others] - the Titanic is HEADING for an Iceberg!! FER:
http://www.chargeonline.com.br/php/charges/AUTO_pater.jpg
Jan 19th, 2018 - 09:20 am 0

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