Politics · Brazil · 2 hrs ago
Lula says his government offered more farm credit than Bolsonaro’s
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said his government offered more farm credit than the administration of former president Jair Bolsonaro during a debate with Flávio Bolsonaro on TV Globo.
The main federal support tool is the Plano Safra, which sets annual rural credit offers for businesses and family farmers.
Bolsonaro’s largest plan cited in the comparison offered R$340.88 billion for 2022/23, including R$53.61 billion for Pronaf, the family-farming credit program.
For 2025/26, Lula’s government announced R$516.2 billion for commercial agriculture and R$89 billion for family farming, including R$78.2 billion for Pronaf.
These figures support Lula’s claim, but they show credit made available, not public spending or loans actually taken out by farmers.
Credit access also faces tighter rules, and high interest rates can make borrowing costly; the 2025/26 commercial plan grew less than inflation, so its increase was not real in purchasing-power terms.
Lula said during a televised debate that his government made more credit available to agriculture and family farming than Jair Bolsonaro’s government.
Revista Fórum found the claim true when comparing announced Farm Plans, which set annual rural credit limits.
Bolsonaro’s largest Farm Plan offered R$340.88 billion, including R$53.61 billion for Pronaf, in 2022/2023.
Lula’s 2025/2026 plans offered R$516.2 billion for commercial agriculture and R$89 billion for family farming, including R$78.2 billion for Pronaf.
These are nominal credit offers, not direct government spending or amounts farmers actually borrowed.
- Who
- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva made the claim during a debate with Flávio Bolsonaro.
- What
- Lula said his government made more farm credit available than Bolsonaro’s. A fact-check found the claim supported by announced Farm Plan totals.
- When
- Friday, October 23, 2026, during the debate.
- Where
- TV Globo in Brazil.
- Why
- Lula was responding to Flávio Bolsonaro’s accusation that he had harmed the agricultural sector.
Lula
Flávio Bolsonaro
Farm credit
Lula
Lula said his government offered more credit to agriculture and family farming than Bolsonaro’s.
Flávio Bolsonaro
Flávio said resources were subject to restrictions from excessive regulations.
Credit costs
Lula
Lula cited the volume of support, including incentives for family farming.
Flávio Bolsonaro
Flávio raised the burden of high interest rates on borrowers.
Bolsonaro’s 2022/2023 Farm Plan was announced with R$340.88 billion in credit, including R$53.61 billion for Pronaf.
Lula’s 2025/2026 plans provided R$516.2 billion for commercial agriculture and R$89 billion for family farming.
Lula made his claim during a debate with Flávio Bolsonaro on TV Globo.
News outlets published reports and fact-checks about the claim.
- Bolsonaro’s largest Farm Plan
- R$340.88 billion in 2022/2023
- Bolsonaro-era Pronaf allocation
- R$53.61 billion in 2022/2023
- Lula’s commercial Farm Plan
- R$516.2 billion in 2025/2026
- Lula’s family-farming plan
- R$89 billion in 2025/2026
- Pronaf allocation under Lula’s 2025/2026 plan
- R$78.2 billion
3 sources
What people are saying
I doubt that at any point in his father's government there was investment in agribusiness like there was in my government.
I doubt there was as much investment in family farming in my government as there was in his, over four years.
Posts on X
➡️Lula diz que investiu mais no agronegócio que Bolsonaro: "Dá um Google aí" 🤳 Imagens cedidas pela TV Globo