Santa Cruz do Sul / RS – With 80% of the crop 2014/15 marketed in three southern states, the Tobacco Growers Association of Brazil (Afubra) announced over the weekend that there was an increase in productivity and inconsistency the average price of Virginia tobacco, the most produced in the region. The balance is based on a survey conducted by the entity with 1,759 farmers in Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná.
According to the president of Afubra, Benicio Albano Werner, the average productivity in the tobacco fields of Virginia is 2,521 kilograms per hectare so far. In the same period of last season the average was 2,456 kilograms per hectare, ranging from 3%. Despite the slight increase in average prices charged by the industry since the beginning of May – around 5%, as Benicio Werner – Afubra found that in practice the increase of 6.4% in the table agreed with most industries do not was fully passed on to the producer. “The average increase should be 4%, no more than this. That is, we will have a gap in the values of the previous Crop.
The president of Afubra, appreciation observed by producers who left for May delivery has two explanations:
1) it is from this period that begins selling in more significant volumes of higher quality leaves, which pulls also up the price;
2) was effective pressure on industries held by entities representing tobacco growers in southern Brazil.
“We also support local governments, parliamentarians and others. Companies have felt the pressure we did throughout the month of April. There were four public hearings to discuss the matter, and mobilization in Venancio Aires “he says.
For the 2015/16 crop, which is already being prepared in regions such as southern Santa Catarina and Rio Pardo Valley, in Rio Grande do Sul, the orientation of Afubra is for producers to reduce the crop by about 10 %. “We reinforced the request so that we have a smaller volume in the next harvest. So we can have more control over supply and demand, which has direct impact on the price paid to growers. Our focus from now on must be on quality.
Igor Müller: igor@editoragazeta.com.br – Portal do Tabaco
