Chamber committee approves audit of milk and dairy imports

The Agriculture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies approved an Oversight and Control Proposal requesting that the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) conduct an audit of Brazilian imports of milk and dairy products. The measure seeks to examine the effects of foreign purchases on the domestic market and the actions of the federal agencies responsible for sector policies.

The plan calls for a survey of the volumes imported over the past five years, as well as information on petitions, investigations related to trade in these products, and any administrative proceedings involving violations of the economic order in the dairy chain.

The proposal was authored by Representative Pedro Lupion (Republicanos-PR), with co-authorship by Rafael Pezenti (MDB-SC) and Ana Paula Leão (PP-MG). During the vote, Lupion referred to investigations that, according to him, indicated a dumping margin of close to 64% on milk imported into Brazil.

The scope of the oversight also includes a public hearing with representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Development, Industry, Foreign Trade and Services, the Federal Revenue Service, the National Health Surveillance Agency, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology, and productive-sector organizations.

According to information released about the proposal, the Chamber of Foreign Trade had approved anti-dumping measures in May for imports of powdered milk from Argentina and Uruguay. The measures were later suspended on public-interest grounds because of their possible impact on food prices. No date has been set for a new assessment.

After the audit and receipt of the requested information, the Agriculture Committee is expected to prepare, debate, and vote on a final oversight report. A date for this stage has not yet been set.