The decision was taken based on analyzes carried out throughout 2022, which demonstrate that the controls carried out by Brazilian exporters and audited by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) guarantee the quality and safety of the product.
This measure represents greater agility in export procedures and values the Brazilian product in the international market ”, highlights the federal agricultural tax auditor Hugo Caruso .
In the year 2022 alone, Brazil exported around 285,000 tons of peanuts , worth approximately US$ 332 million. Of these, 70 thousand tons were destined for the European Union.
Also according to Caruso, the improvement in controls on exported products was also reflected in products sold domestically, which, in addition to being consumed in natura , are raw materials for sweets, cakes, ice cream, among others.
“The major concern regarding the safety of the product is related to the aflatoxins that are produced by fungi . These toxins , in addition to being carcinogenic, can cause other harm to health, and that is why we reinforce the importance of consumers purchasing only products from companies registered with the Ministry of Health, which periodically inspects the packers ”, warns the auditor.
According to José Antônio Rossato Junior , director of Coplana and Socicana , the peanut chain is looking for information to understand how the operation will be carried out in light of this measure .
The entities bring together more than a thousand cooperative members, most of them made up of small and medium-sized producers who produce sugarcane and crops in rotation , such as peanuts and soybeans , in addition to corn .
“We can interpret it as an important achievement for the Brazilian sector . Probably driven by two fronts in the European Community countries : food security and lower inflation . It is essential for the sector to maintain rigor in the selection of batches that comply with aflatoxin standards , as well as to be vigilant about safe food , especially in relation to possible pesticide residues , which may be subject to greater inspection by health authorities ”, he highlighted.