BrazzilMag

Brazilian bovine meat exports have produced a revenue of US$ 1.555 billion between January and August this year, against US$ 875.3 million during the same period last year, which represents a 77.75% increase.

The BioFach América Latina 2004, the continent's biggest organic product fair, ended on Friday in Rio, Brazil, with business worth much more than expected; a reported US$2.6 million (R$8 million).

Brazil will report to the United Nations (UN) on the steps that have been taken to observe the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is the first time in 14 years that the Brazilian government has complied with this requirement.

Brazil's Ministry of Education (MEC) is sponsoring a comprehensive debate on education and indigenous communities. The purpose of the seminars and public hearings that have been held around the country by the MEC's Secretariat of Ongoing Education, Literacy Instruction, and Diversity (Secad) is to identify the progress and challenges of indigenous education.

Around nine million public school students will complete high school in 2004 in Brazil. But at least two million will be unable to attend institutions of higher education, because either they lack money to pay the entrance examination fee, or they realize that, if they pass, they will lack the means to remain in the course, even if it is in a public university.

Brazil's National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra) and the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) will work together on forest management in the agrarian reform settlements of the Amazon.

The representative of Brazil's National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA), Alécio Maróstica, informed that Asian rust, a disease that attacks soybeans, caused a five million ton crop failure last year in Brazil.

The head of the Presidential Civilian Advisory Staff, Minister José Dirceu, criticized some people's concern over inflationary pressures. "Many people think that there is no inflationary pressure in Brazil, that there is no need to raise interest rates. I myself expected that interest rates would be down to 13% in December.

Negotiators from the European Union and Mercosur have decided to begin a concentrated effort to reach an agreement on free trade within the scheduled time frame which should end on October 31.

The president of Brazil's Central Workers' Union (CUT), Luiz Marinho, and Paulo Skaf, recently elected president of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp), called today for economic growth and declared their opposition to an economic policy of raising the benchmark interest rate (Selic) to fight inflation.

What grew 4.5% a year in Brazil between 1991 and 2000? Unfortunately it was not the economy; it was the number of people living in favelas (urban slums), reports the government statistical bureau (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) (IBGE).

Brazil has the second largest world pet population, estimated at 27 million dogs and 11 million cats. Figures supplied by the National Association of Animal Food Manufacturers (Anfal-Pet) show that the country is currently the second largest world pet food market in terms of volume, with a production of 1.2 million tons, and the fifth in terms of revenues, at US$ 1.2 billion a year.

In Brazil, the expectations of the financial market regarding inflation are increasingly pessimistic and suggest that the Broad Consumer Price Index (IPCA) will end the year at 7.37%, versus last week's estimate of 7.29%.

Brazil's Consumer Price Index (INPC) rose 0.5% in August, compared to 0.73% in July, reports the government statistical bureau (IBGE). In August 2003 the INPC rose 0.18%.

“What disc?” I can hear you asking in indignation. True enough, there is no disc. Or rather, there is, but it’s never been released. Released or not, it’s here, and since it is, and was recorded one August 42 years ago, and has long been touted as a major landmark of bossa nova, and since August 2004 cries out for a refreshing breeze, here comes the long overdue review.

We’ve not heard much from Erundina (PSB) in the media recently. Probably because she’s seen her poll figures in the campaign for mayor of São Paulo slump from 7% during August to around 3%. As the last of the ‘big four’, she’s rapidly becoming irrelevant to the first round of voting.

Brazil is sending 98 athletes to Athens for the Para Olympic games for the handicapped (also known as the Paralympics) which began on September 11 and will end on September 29.

Fish consumption in Brazil is still modest. The average Brazilian eats only seven kilograms of fish per year, although the World Health Organization recommends 14 kilos as an ideal minimum level of consumption.