December 16, 2003

Brazil Suspending Cargill's  Soybean Operations in Amazon Port of Santerem

Brazil's Public Prosecutor's Office intends to seek a court ruling that will force giant U.S. agribusiness firm Cargill Inc. to suspend operations at its soybean terminal in the Amazon port of Santarem.

"The terminal is illegal because an environmental impact study wasn't carried out," said Nilo Marcelo de Almeida, the Public Prosecutor's representative in Santarem.

He added that he will seek a legal ruling on Wednesday, to suspend Cargill's operations in the northern state of Para.

"It obtained a state permit but not a federal one. The environmental study should check massive damage," he said, adding that the terminal had triggered an increase in illegal land occupation.

In April, Cargill opened the $20 million terminal with capacity to export 800,000 tons of soybeans to Europe and Asia via a new Amazon river route.

Cargill officials were not immediately available for comment.