Senator calls out environmental agency for understaffing at Paranagua Port

Brazilian senator Jayme Campos visited the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) on February 6th to voice the concerns of the forestry industry in his state, Mato Grosso. Campos met with Ibama’s president, Rodrigo Agostinho, to discuss the challenges faced by the sector caused by understaffing at the Port of Paranaguá, which has been standing in the way of cargo clearance and shipment.

The chart below provides a month-on-month breakdown of Brazil’s timber and wood (hs 44) exports from Jan 2020 to Dec 2023. The data is from DataLiner.

Timber Exports from Brazil | Jan 2020 – Dec 2023 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

“For nearly three months, operations have been at a standstill, causing significant setbacks. The current infrastructure falls short of meeting the demand, leading to countless order cancellations and losses for local businesses,” remarked Senator Campos. He emphasized the sector’s commitment to legal and sustainable practices, stressing the urgent need for Ibama to address the crisis that affects not only the sector but also the broader economy.

During the meeting, Frank Rogieri de Souza Almeida, president of the National Forum of Forest-Based Activities (FNBF), called for immediate action, suggesting the utilization of the Dry Port in Cuiabá and the deployment of additional staff to manage the workload effectively.

President Agostinho pledged to back the Dry Port idea. He also promised to personally investigate the situation at the Port of Paranaguá and argued that the delays are far from normal. Agostinho noted that while the port currently has ten employees, the Port of Belém boasts 15 agency staff members.

Meanwhile, the slowdown campaign of federal government environmental servers is expected to continue, with recent negotiations failing to yield an agreement. Representatives of the National Association of Environmental Servers (ASCEMA) deemed the government’s proposal insufficient. Still, Senator Campos argued the productive sector is bearing a disproportionate impact.

In 2023, Mato Grosso’s wood sales to other countries totaled $70.9 million. The state in central Brazil ranks fourth among exporting states, shipping 68,677 tonnes of forestry products from January to September 2023.

Source: Folha Max

Click here to read the original news report: https://www.folhamax.com/politica/senador-aciona-ibama-por-travar-exportacao-de-madeira/426103

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