While visiting Cascavel (in the state of Paraná) on Monday, February 4, President Dilma Rousseff said that the federal government will expand funds and lower interest rates for the agricultural sector. According to the president, who attended a delivery ceremony for 29 backhoes to municipalities in Paraná, the record figures for the 2012/2013 harvest will be further improved upon this year.

"The funds are being increased every year because demand is higher every year, and this is extremely important since it means that we are continually improving all our conditions for investment (...) I wanted to say that both the 2013/2014 Agricultural and Livestock Plan and the Family Agriculture Plan will have more funds than the previous year. I think there are two things that mark these plans. First, increased funds, and second, which I have already mentioned, reduced interest rates," she said.

During the 2012/2013 harvest, R$ 115 billion was invested through the Agricultural and Livestock Plan and R$ 18 billion through the National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture (Pronaf). According to the president, the new funds for the agricultural sector will be announced in May.

Source: Planalto Blog

06 February 2013