Ministry suspends requirement for expiration dates on eggshells.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the decision was motivated by the need to broaden the debate with civil society and the productive sector regarding the measure.
247 - The Ministry of Agriculture has decided to revoke the decree that mandated the mandatory marking of the expiration date on eggshells. The regulation, which was to take effect on March 5th, generated strong opposition from producers and parliamentarians.
The suspension was published in the Official Gazette of the Union this Friday (28). According to sources from the ministry heard by CNN BrazilThe decision was motivated by the need to broaden the debate with civil society and the productive sector regarding the feasibility of the measure.
Critics of the requirement pointed out that its implementation could raise production costs and make it impossible for small producers, already impacted by the increase in egg prices, to operate. The situation is aggravated by the Lenten period, when demand naturally rises, and by the reduction in American production due to avian flu in the United States, which boosted Brazilian exports and put pressure on domestic prices.
With the growing negative reaction on social media, the Novo party's caucus in the Chamber of Deputies presented a draft legislative decree to block the ordinance, arguing that the measure violated the principles of economic freedom.
The mandatory labeling was established in a regulation published in September, granting 180 days for adaptation. Initially, the measure went unnoticed, but it gained prominence with the recent rise in egg prices.
Last week, the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro, had already signaled the possibility of relaxing the rule for small farms. "The whole world adopts the stamping technology, with the egg already leaving the farm with the expiration date marked," he stated.
To mitigate the impact on small producers, Fávaro promised changes to the regulation. "To avoid causing any problems for small farms, we will change the regulations, but we will not compromise quality. It's a temporary alternative for small producers to adapt, ensuring they continue producing and selling, and in the future, they will also have the capacity to print expiration dates egg by egg," he stated.
Now, the requirement has been suspended for all producers, and the government promises to open a new round of discussions on the subject.
