Industries do not attend to public audience at the Senate.
Representatives of the citrus industries Citrosuco, Cutrale, Dreyfus e Citrovita had confirmed their presence but didn't attend to the public audience at the Senate to discuss the economic concentration process in brazilian citriculture.
Associtrus president Flávio Viegas believes that this attitude demonstrates the industries arrogance towards the government and all other entities involved on the matter. This attitude is an insult to the National Congress. This is the second time they confirm their presence and don't show up. I believe the necessary steps will be taken to put the industries back in their place. They think they own this country. We are working for the law to be respected, states Viegas.
The audience was requested by senators Aelton Freitas and Eduardo Suplicy and had the participation of the Economic Defense Bureau director Bárbara Rosemberg, the Economic Attendance Bureau representative Marcelo Saintive, the Agriculture Ministry inspector Gustavo Firmo de Araújo, procurator Ricardo Wagner Garcia and Associtrus president Flávio Viegas.
The audiences president, senator Flávio Arns, classified the session as productive, clarifying and concerning because the information provided by the citrus growers show the industries disrespect to free competition and to production and emphasize the economic concentration that exists on the sector. With the information gathered at the audience, we will demand that the Legislative and the ministries concerned analyze this situation. The Senate will stay close to this subject and will help the economic entities that will handle the investigation to assure the citrus growers can be fairly rewarded for their production so they can keep on collaborating with our country.
According to senator Suplicy, the audience showed the ministries representatives the real situation of citrus growers and workers. It is evident that the sector has serious problems due to the economic concentration, since four industries absorb 90% of the citrus production, which gives them a real big economic strength. It is important that the growers send more elements and documents for the Economic and Agriculture Issues commissions because we will assure these documents will be forwarded to the Economic Defense Administrative Council, which will take the necessary steps about the subject.
Twenty citrus growers from Bebedouro and Taiuva plus forty others from Itápolis traveled to Brasilia to demonstrate their dissatisfaction and indignation towards the industries position. We are fighting for the growers and workers dignity and we hope the government complies with our requests said Itápolis Rural Syndicate president Valdir Buttarello.
