BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in New York this week on Thursday to ask for an emergency deal to deliver food he did not have.
A spokesman for Johnson’s office questioned Bolzano’s account, saying it was not Downing Street’s memory of the conversation without giving further details.
Bolzano, speaking to his supporters on his weekly online broadcast, did not name the product, but said he had sent Johnson’s order to Agriculture Secretary Theresa Christina.
“He wants an emergency contract with us to import a type of food that is not in the UK,” he said.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro observes the ceremony on September 14, 2021, at the Planaldo Palace in Brasilia.
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The president’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rising natural gas prices have closed some British fertilizer plants in recent weeks, leading to a shortage of carbon dioxide used to store gas for beer and soft drinks and to stumble before killing chickens and pigs. See more info
The British government, in an effort to avoid a shortage of meat and poultry, sought to support the emergency and warned food producers to prepare for a 400% increase in carbon dioxide prices.
Ministers, including Johnson, ignored warnings from some vendors that there could be a shortage of traditional Christmas food, such as fried turkey.
Bolzano also said Johnson had asked for help to increase Brazilian whiskey imports from Britain.
(Reporting by Maria Carolina Marcelo and Anthony Bowdl) Editing by Aurora Ellis, Peter Cooney and Barbara Luis
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