Piaui invests $250 k in photovoltaic systems for family farmers

The Secretariat of State for Family Agriculture (SAF) of the government of Piauí invested R$ 1.44 million ($250k) in 18 projects for the implementation of photovoltaic systems. Almost 2 thousand families were benefited with this initiative that aims at reducing production costs for small rural producers. The main investments are through the Project Live the Semi-Arid (PVSA) and the Employment Generation Program.

Source: Energia Hoje

Petrobras gains $3.6 bn in market value in one day

After a speech at the swearing-in ceremony of Petrobras’ new CEO, Joaquim Silva e Luna, the company’s shares soared this afternoon. Petrobras gained more than R$20 billion ($3.6 bn) in market value during the trading session. At 4:05 pm, the company’s value reached just over R$318 billion ($57 bn), compared to R$297 billion ($53 bn) at Friday’s close.

Source: Valor Investe

Brazil accumulates $6.31 bn trade surplus

Brazil’s trade balance posted a $3 billion surplus in the third week of April, bringing the accumulated positive balance for the month to $6.310 billion, the Economy Ministry said. In the month, exports totalled $15.381 billion, with $6.844 billion in the third week. Imports, meanwhile, reached $9.071 billion for the month, after totalling $3.840 billion in the last week.

Source: Money Times

Agricultural entrepreneurs are responsible for 25% of Brazil’s agribusiness

Agribusiness is responsible for 21.1% of Brazil’s GDP, that is, more than a fifth of everything generated in the country comes from agriculture. And of this total, around 25% comes from family agriculture, that is, 5% of the Brazilian GDP comes from the properties of small rural entrepreneurs. These were some of the figures released by the National Secretary of Family Agriculture and Cooperativism.

Source: Portal do Agronegocio

Minas Gerais exceeds 1 GW in distributed generation

Minas Gerais became the first Brazilian state to surpass the mark of 1 GW of installed power in distributed generation. There are 84,248 micro and micro-generation plants installed in the state, which benefit more than 120,929 consumer units. Minas Gerais concentrates one fifth of the national installed power in this modality, which totals 5.4 GW. The solar source is, by far, the most used in the state and in Brazil, corresponding to 96% of the systems, followed by the use of the hydro potential (2%) and biomass or biogas plants (2%).

Source: Energia Hoje

Demand for credit rises 2% in March

After falling in February, the search for financing in the country in March indicates recovery. The INDC (Neurotech Index of Demand for Credit) grew 2% in the third month of this year compared to a drop of 9% previously. Furthermore, in the year-on-year comparison, it registered a high of 38%, surpassing the mark seen in the same period completed in February, when it advanced 21%.

Source: UOL Economia

Brazilian middle class ‘shrinks’ in pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has not only increased the number of Brazilians living in extreme poverty but has also reduced the middle class to its lowest level in more than 10 years in relation to the total population. the percentage of the Brazilian population belonging to the so-called traditional middle class fell from 51% in 2020 to 47% in 2021 – the same ‘size’ as the lower class. The highest mark, according to Locomotiva, was registered in 2011, when the middle class was 54% of the Brazilian population.

Source: G1 Economia

Minerva plans to zero carbon emissions by 2035

Minerva Foods, South America’s largest beef exporter, announced Thursday that it intends to zero net carbon emissions by 2035 thanks to initiatives that should require investments of R$1.5 billion ($264 mm). The goal is more ambitious than the one announced three weeks ago by JBS, which wants to zero net emissions by 2040, and also of Marfrig, which aims the same by 2050.

Source: Valor International