What changes are in store for Brazilian agribusiness from new president Bolsonaro

 

The election of Jair Messias Bolsonaro as president of Brazil should result in significant changes for Brazilian agribusinesses. This is the opinion of economist Gustavo Grisa, partner in the business Future, which is focused on public innovation and corporate responsibility. According to Grisa, this scenario is preferred by most of the country's rural producers.

 

"Even though Bolsonaro was not the only preferred candidate of the largest business groups or the agro / financial / industrial complex in the first round of voting, he was always very strong among the producers, individually and associatively, and achieved massive support in agriculture, even as other candidates tried, but failed. In the second round, with Haddad as an opponent, the adhesion of the sector was almost unanimous," said Grisa.

 

However, Grisa noted that even with a favorable climate within agribusinesses, a transition period will be necessary for the sector's leaders and the newly elected president's team to be able to agree on the needs of agribusiness. In this scenario, he warns of a possible disappointment if Bolsonaro fails to put into practice all his campaign promises, along with the need to choose a good management team.

 

"However, there is a large space of advances that can be put forward  in the new political arrangement: the modernization of the regulatory and support systems, advances in environmental legislation and the reconciliation of sustainability and production, logistical support for agribusiness, and unraveling projects of important infrastructure in various regions," he says.

 

For Grisa, the largest gain in the sector with Bolsonaro's victory and the new configuration of the Congress is the increase in political influence for agribusiness. "Now it will be up to the sectoral and business leaderships to build with the Bolsonaro government an agenda that truly meets the competitive interests of the sector and a balanced project of economic recovery in the country," he said.

 

 

Before the presidential election, AgroPages interviewed with economist Gustavo Grisa to know his opinion on effects of Brazilian presidential elections on foreign trade, foreign exchange and economy.