Brazilian lawmakers approve request for audit of dairy imports

BRAZIL – The Agriculture Committee of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies has approved a request for the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), the country’s federal audit body, to conduct an audit of Brazil’s imports of milk and dairy products.

The proposal calls for the submission of information on measures taken by the government to address the issue.  According to DATAMAR data, Brazil imported 4,481 TEUs of milk powder by sea, up 22.6% year over year.

In May 2026, Brazil’s Foreign Trade Chamber (Camex) approved antidumping duties on powdered milk imports from Uruguay and Argentina but suspended their enforcement on “public interest” grounds.

At the time, the assessment was that imposing additional tariffs on dairy imports from fellow Mercosur countries could drive up food prices for Brazilian consumers. No date has been set for reconsidering the decision.

The request approved by the committee takes the form of an Oversight and Control Proposal (PFC), introduced by Congressman Pedro Lupion (Republicanos-PR), president of the Agricultural Parliamentary Front (FPA), a congressional caucus representing agribusiness interests.

“After years of investigation, we managed to prove dumping of nearly 64% in milk imported into Brazil, and it is driving producers out of business. It continues to harm our producers.

“Milk prices in the market have improved somewhat, but producers are still facing considerable difficulties,” the lawmaker said during the vote.

The proposal calls on the TCU to conduct an audit examining the actions of federal agencies responsible for policies governing imports of milk and dairy products. An assessment of the impact of these imports on Brazil’s domestic dairy industry will also be carried out.

Congressman Pezenti (MDB-SC), a coauthor of the proposal, said the government acknowledges the existence of dumping in milk sold to Brazil by Argentina and Uruguay, but that this recognition has not resolved the problems facing Brazilian dairy farmers.

The source describes dumping as an unfair trade practice involving the sale of products at prices below production costs in the destination country.

The PFC’s implementation plan calls for a public hearing involving the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC), the Federal Revenue Service, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (Inmetro), and organizations representing the dairy industry.

The proposal also requests information, including data on milk and dairy product import volumes over the past five years; records of petitions, investigations and measures taken in connection with imports of these products.

Additionally, it calls for information on procedures, inquiries and administrative proceedings involving violations of competition law that may be affecting the dairy sector.

To receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa, the Middle East and around the world, SUBSCRIBE HERE.