Paraguay's Fruit and Vegetable Producers' Guild has proposed raising the minimum quota for purchasing national production under the Hambre Cero school feeding program from 10% to 40%. The suggestion was presented during a meeting with senators, as stated by the entity's coordinator, Máximo González.
“As a guild, we propose that the Hambre Cero program guarantee 40% of purchases from national production, strengthening organized and formalized producers in Paraguay,” González said. The measure also prioritizes producer committees and associations that are up to date with issuing tax receipts, aiming to encourage formalization and expand small farmers' participation in public procurement.
Currently, the legal requirement for acquiring national food in the program is 10%. If approved, the guild's proposal would quadruple that percentage, potentially redirecting a larger volume of public resources to the country's family and organized agriculture.