"Buyers no longer exploit farmers"
In the Brazilian rural areas the family farmers must compete against the landowners and buyers which try to usurp the farmers. Jair Sbicigo from Sisclaf explains how his cooperation posts a resilient against these practices.
© Trias
Brazil is a country with tremendous contrasts. Between rich and poor, city and rural areas, and even amongst the farmers. Family farmers in the southern region Paraná have to fight the landowners in order to survive. The Flemish Farmers Union tries to help the cooperative structures of the family farmers through an exchange process under guidance of Trias.
Last year four cheese makers, a board member and a consultant of Unicafes – the cooperation of family farmers Paraná – went to Belgium on a learning visit. They visited several production-units of Milcobel, where they received tips about the way their cooperation could process dairy independently in the future.
"It is not obvious to make the farmers our partners, even though they know how important it is for them to unite their strength", says Jair Sbicigo in a recent conversation with our redaction. This Brazilian farmer runs a mixed farm and is also the chairman of Sisclaf, a regional dairy cooperation that is a member of Unicafes.
What does your farm look like?
Jair Sbicigo: "I have a mixed farm with an area of eleven hectares. 85 percent of the earnings are from milk cattle and fish farming. My livestock consists of some forty cattle. Together the dairy cows produce some 4.000 litres of milk per month; the average production per cow is ten litres per day. The milk is sold to a local cooperation that sells the retrieved quantity to the regional cooperation Sisclaf, whereof I am the chairman."
Does Paraná have a strong developed dairy production?
"Certainly, Brazil produces about 27,8 billion litres of milk annually. Paraná is, with three billion litres, the second most productive area."
Are the family farmers in Paraná vulnerable to price fluctuations?
"The price fluctuations hurt us a lot indeed. The Government does not want to talk about minimum prices. This makes us very vulnerable to import of dairy products from neighbouring countries. Fortunately our cooperation Sisclaf is able to disburse higher dairy prices than the other buyers in the market."
Sisclaf groups 23 local cooperations. How do you estimate the role of this regional dairy central?
"The reason that a lot of farmers in the south-western part of Paraná are still in dairy farming is the existence of Sisclaf. Today I can say that the buyers are no longer squeezing the farmers like they did in the past. We also have more input in the policy."
Can you give us a concrete example of the realizations of Sisclaf?
"Last year we succeeded in buying a factory of Leticia, an important dairy enterprise in Brazil. We produce mozzarella there for the local market and for distribution in cities as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. In December we obtained admission to market that mozzarella under our own brand Claf. Prospects are so positive we have already bought new machines and want to market new dairy products."
How Trias does support Unicafes?
"Trias has been a loyal partner for a long time, a partner that especially tries to strengthen our cooperative system. The current programme provides support for dairy processing, accounting, management and consultancy, as well by local advisors as by Belgian experts."
Is the exchange with the Flemish Farmers Union and Milcobel important for Unicafes?
"In terms of marketing, trade and negotiation strategies we have learned a lot through this partnership. The way in which Milcobel influences pricing and creates an added value, is a continuing source of inspiration."