Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro, described as an “indecent action” the US government’s decision to impose 50% tariffs on Brazilian products such as beef, orange juice, and coffee, Reuters reported.
Fávaro stated that the Brazilian government is acting “proactively” to minimize the effects of the measure and announced that commercial diversification strategies will be intensified. “I called the main representative entities of the most affected sectors... so that we can, together, expand the actions we have been carrying out over the two and a half years of President Lula’s government,” he said.
The minister emphasized that the government had already been working on opening markets and reducing trade barriers and that efforts will now be reinforced with major destinations in Asia, the Middle East, and the Global South, which he considers having “great consumer potential” and the capacity to absorb part of Brazil’s exports.
At the same time, diplomatic measures are also being taken with “reciprocity,” although Fávaro did not provide details about possible retaliatory actions. “Proactive actions will take place here at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to minimize the impacts,” he concluded.
