Dilma says "government was caught off guard by the drought"
Amidst the announcement of actions to combat the drought in the Northeast, totaling more than R$ 9 billion, the president said that the federal government was caught off guard by the situation, since "no one predicted the worst drought in the last 50 years"; actions to combat and cope with the drought listed by Dilma include the construction of cisterns, hiring of water trucks, review of the debts of affected farmers, among other points that had long been demanded by the governors and mayors of the region.
PE247 – In a meeting with the governors of the Northeast, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo during a meeting of the Sudene Deliberative Council, President Dilma Rousseff (PT) announced this Tuesday (1st), in Fortaleza, a package of more than R$ 9 billion to help the municipalities affected by the drought. The amount is in addition to the R$ 7,6 billion already invested. The head of the federal Executive also informed that farmers who took out loans will have the deadline extended for another ten years to make the payment. Despite the announcement of the measures, demanded for a long time by regional managers, President Dilma said that the government was caught by surprise, since "no one predicted the worst drought in the last 50 years".
The president announced a reduction in debt to settle rural credit operations. Now, farmers who took out loans of up to R$ 15 will receive an 85% discount on their debt. If the loan amount is between R$ 15 and R$ 35, the discount drops to 75%. In addition, the federal government will deliver a motor grader, a dump truck, a water tanker, a loader bucket, and a backhoe to each of the 1.415 northeastern municipalities affected by the drought, which will be used in drought relief efforts.
Regarding water tanker trucks, there will be a 30% increase in the contracted number, which should reach 6.170 vehicles, an investment of R$ 71,5 million per month. Currently, only 777 cities affected by the drought have the assistance of 4.746 water tanker trucks. As for the acquisition and replacement of equipment for 49 Army units aimed at managing Operation Water Tanker Truck, R$ 202,5 million will be invested.
According to the president's statement, another 130 cisterns for human consumption will be built by July of this year and another 240 by the end of 2013. The goal is to deliver 750 cisterns by the end of 2014. From January 2011 to March of this year, 270 cisterns have already been delivered. Regarding reservoirs, 27 will be built by December of this year and another 64 by the end of next year. "The production cisterns are strategic at this moment when we will have to initiate two processes: saving existing herds and preparing to have, in fact, a more robust structure so as not to have, with each drought, a loss of herds as happened this time," said the president.
Regarding well drilling, the government aims to invest R$ 93,3 million in drilling 1.100 new wells through the São Francisco and Parnaíba Valleys Development Company (Codevasf) and the National Department of Works Against Drought (Dnocs), in addition to the recovery of 1.400 units scattered throughout the region. The Army will contribute by drilling 30 wells monthly.
Crop Guarantee and Drought Relief Fund
The government will also extend the duration of the Garantia-Safra program with an investment of R$ 85 million per month for the duration of the drought. Families will receive between R$ 140 and R$ 155 per month. Currently, 769 farmers in 1015 cities benefit from the program.
In the case of the Drought Relief Program, the benefit of R$ 80 per family will be maintained as long as the drought continues to affect municipalities in the Northeast, as well as in municipalities in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. The government has decided to include an additional 361.586 people who will benefit from the program. The monthly contribution will be R$ 87,7 million.
Corn
Amid difficulties in transporting corn, the main source of energy for livestock, the government delegated to the states the responsibility of selling, transporting, and distributing the grain through ports to enable a new alternative for transporting the feed.
Furthermore, 340 tons of corn will be distributed for the months of April and May. States will have to sell the corn for R$ 18,12 (up to three tons) and R$ 21 (between three and six tons) to subsidize livestock farmers. From January to March of this year, 113 farmers benefited from 370 tons of corn.
Regarding the Corn Sales Program at Sudene, an investment of R$ 2,75 billion was announced to expand the credit line by R$ 350 million.