Essential Exports: Brazil's Agricultural Products in the U.S.

 Brazil, with an area of 8.5 million square kilometers, occupies approximately half of South America. The majority of the region is situated between the equator and the tropic of Capricorn. The vast and varied territory is reflected in the extensive variety of commodities that are cultivated in the country. The South, Southeast, and Centre West are the most significant agricultural regions in the country. According to the 1995/1996 Agricultural Census, the cultivated area is approximately 50 million hectares, while pasture occupies approximately 178 million hectares.. Coffee, sugar, legumes, manioc, rice, maize, cotton, edible beans, and wheat are the primary agricultural products. Brazil is the sixth or seventh largest producer of milk in the globe, with an annual production of approximately 20 billion liters. The country is the third largest producer of meat in the globe, with a production of approximately 15 million tonnes. Agriculture is responsible for approximately 20% of export revenue, employs approximately 20% of the labor force, and accounts for approximately 10% of GDP. The most significant export products are soybeans and soybean products, coffee, sugar, citrus juice, and meat.

The Brazilian economy underwent significant changes over the past decade

The abolition of the inflationary process is a significant accomplishment that has resulted in efficiency-enhancing changes in both the private and public sectors. Changes in procedures, particularly those related to policy formulation and implementation, have been necessary in the public sector to attain long-term fiscal equilibrium. The budget process, which was previously primarily non-binding, is now playing a more significant role in the establishment of policy priorities. Trade policy has also been subjected to these transformations. In the early 1990s, Brazil was in the process of promoting a significant reform of its tariffs and was already in discussions with Argentina to establish a free trade area between the two countries. Further enhancing efficiency in the private sector, particularly in agriculture, has been facilitated by the renunciation of traditional protectionism in favor of a more liberal approach to trade policy. Trade liberalization in agriculture and other sectors remains a significant challenge; however, the extent of this process will be contingent upon the willingness of Brazilian trading partners to cooperate with liberalization and the outcome of the multilateral trade negotiations. The agricultural policy has also undergone significant modifications over the years. Subsidized credit was the most significant domestic support instrument during the 1970s and a portion of the 1980s. By the mid-1980s, the emphasis on credit had diminished, and domestic support was primarily provided through price support mechanisms, in which the government accumulated inventories of a variety of products. Brandão and Carvalho (1992) and Brandão and Rezende (1989) have demonstrated that these policies had minimal effect on efficiency and resulted in increased land prices, increased land ownership concentration, and a worsened income distribution. 

In the 1990s, these policies were primarily abandoned due to budgetary constraints in the public sector

Presently, commercial agriculture receives minimal domestic support. Brazil initiated a comprehensive reform of the agricultural research system in the 1970s by establishing Embrapa (The Brazilian Corporation for Public Research) and investing significantly in the training of scientists. Since that time, the majority of governments have maintained that as a top priority in their agricultural policies. Brazil has developed a robust agricultural research infrastructure that has played a significant role in the sector's productivity growth. Changes in Brazil have also been influenced by global economic developments. The URA established new restrictions on the categories of policies that could be implemented. In the same vein, regional agreements like MERCOSUR imposed additional restrictions on trade policy. Brazil is also involved in negotiations to establish additional free trade zones, including the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), the MERCOSUR-EU free trade zone, and other bilateral agreements, such as the cooperation agreement that was recently signed with Mexico. There is a significant demand for social policies, which encompass initiatives such as poverty reduction programs and land reform. Given these factors, as well as the fiscal constraints that the Brazilian government is currently under, and the international trading system's regulations, there will be limited space for the implementation of domestic support policies, such as those that were implemented prior to the 1990s. The Brazilian government's economic policy agenda places a high priority on agricultural trade negotiations, as evidenced by the context described above and Brazil's comparative advantage in agricultural and agriculture-based products. Brazil is a mature exporter of agricultural commodities. The nation distributes a diverse array of products to all corners of the globe. The implementation of the Uruguay Round Agreements by Brazil or other countries has not had a significant impact on the composition and volumes of Brazilian agricultural product trade. This is, to a significant extent, a consequence of the round's primary accomplishment, which was the establishment of a new discipline in international trade. However, the negotiations did not result in significant de facto liberalization.

Macroeconomics and domestic policies, including the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the unilateral tariff reform of 1990

Were the primary factors that influenced the structure of agricultural commerce. The average level of applied tariffs was reduced from 32 percent to 14 percent as a result of the tariff reform, with agricultural tariffs ranging from 0 percent to 10 percent.Nineteen The tariff level was further adjusted to accommodate the commitments of the MERCOSUR negotiations. Brazilian trade in agricultural and nonagricultural products has been impacted by macroeconomic instability. The perverse combination of a high real interest rate and an appreciated currency has had a particularly significant impact on agriculture, resulting in a significant increase in financial costs and a decrease in producer prices.