Brazil’s truckers’ strike that began on May 21 in protest against high fuel prices is over. The Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) reported that 167 meat and poultry plants that had suspended production during the strike are operating once again.
The origin of the protest was the high price of diesel. The state company Petrobras increased it daily, taking into account the international price of oil. Diesel prices increased in the last year by 50 percent.
The strike left a total impact of US$829 million to the producer and exporter sectors of chicken, swine, eggs and genetic material, according to the ABPA. Previously, the ABPA had reported that because of the strike more than 120,000 tons of chicken and pork stopped being exported and approximately 70 million birds died. Despite the recorded losses of animals, resumption of feed being delivered to the field prevented about one billion animals from remaining at risk, ABPA said.
Until the entire system of the sector is restored, it will be more expensive for companies to produce each kilo of meat and eggs. The ABPA said there is a need to increase the supply of credit lines to maintain the resumption of the production chain.
The truckers’ strike, lasted for 10 days and it has been reported that 87 percent of Brazilians said they supported the strike and even defended its continuity, according to a survey concluded by Datafolha. Most doubted that the government’s negotiations with the truckers were in good faith, according tot he survey.
