Brazil’s Dairy Industry Seeks Equal Conditions Against Argentina and Uruguay

Brazil’s dairy industry has asked for what it calls “equal conditions” in competition with Argentina and Uruguay. The request comes as the sector discusses competitiveness within Mercosur, the South American trade bloc.

Brazilian dairy production increased by 8.5% over the past year. Despite that growth, the industry has pointed to differences in competitiveness between Brazil and its regional counterparts.

Sindilat, the organisation representing the Brazilian dairy industry in the source report, said the issue was not a request to stop imports. It said the sector wanted to compete under equivalent rules instead.

“We are not seeking to close imports, but to compete under equivalent rules,” Sindilat said. The statement distinguished the industry’s request for comparable competitive conditions from a call to end imports.

The dispute is framed around competition among dairy producers in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. The source report identifies competitiveness differences within Mercosur as the central concern raised by the Brazilian industry.

No specific import measure, tariff, product category or timetable was given in the report. The information provided concerns the industry’s request for equal conditions, the reported 8.5% increase in Brazilian production and Sindilat’s position on imports.