May 27, 2009
Cargill to export corn from controversial Amazon port
Multinational grain exporter Cargill said Tuesday that it intends to export around 60,000 tonnes of corn out of a port in the Amazon that has a storied past with environmental activists, the Estado newswire reported Tuesday (May 26).
The major food company hopes to export Brazilian corn out of the Santarem river port, which has more than once been the target of international Greenpeace activism.
Cargill Brazil's grain and soy director, Jose Luiz Glaser, said, "We will try to ship corn (out of Santarem) starting in October."
Greenpeace International targeted Cargill in April 2006 with a report called "Eating the Amazon." The report led McDonald's in Europe to ban the purchase of meat from chickens fed on Brazilian soy and corn from the Amazon region.
Cargill then moved to ban all soy purchases from farmers who recently deforested to plant.
Brazil is not a major corn exporter, but has increased its presence in the world's corn market over the last two years thanks to Middle East demand and two good harvests.
Brazil is the No. 2 soy producer and exporter behind the US.
