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Abicom: mercado espera mais previsibilidade

  • Market: Biofuels, Oil products
  • 25/02/19

A Associação Brasileira dos Importadores de Combustíveis (Abicom) deve fortalecer a atuação junto à Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP) para que haja maior isonomia entre os integrantes do setor de combustíveis, inclusive no que diz respeito às regras relacionadas aos estoques anuais de etanol anidro para diferentes grupos da cadeia de abastecimento, segundo Milena Mansur, consultora de inteligência de mercado da entidade.

Em entrevista à Argus, a representante da Abicom afirmou que a atual falta de previsibilidade é a principal trava para o desenvolvimento do setor e reforçou a consciência do papel "complementar" das importadoras. Mansur ainda falou sobre as perspectivas e desafios para 2019, em um momento de transição no comando da Petrobras. Veja, abaixo, os principais trechos da entrevista.

Como os importadores enxergam as alterações na Portaria nº 67 da ANP?

A Abicom entende que são agentes regulados de diferentes formas, com direitos e deveres distintos. Um produtor pode comprar de outro produtor para comprovar as reservas na data determinada, por exemplo, mas os importadores não tem essa opção, precisam comprar produto de fora e não há garantia de que conseguirá concluir esse processo. As cotas de importação sem a incidência de tarifa funcionam da seguinte forma: para quem chegar primeiro. Ouvimos casos de pedidos feitos oito segundos após a 0h [do início dos novos ciclos] não concretizados porque o volume já havia sido ultrapassado. Não tem como ter previsibilidade e se programar para que o estoque seja refeito. Não há flexibilidade de comprar internamente, nem a certeza de que compras futuras estarão dentro dessas condições [de isenção de imposto]. Por isso falamos que neste momento não há isonomia. Cada agente regulado tem de cumprir o seu papel dentro da cadeia.

Entendemos que a função do importador é complementar a demanda […]. Isso pode ser sazonal, não é algo que ocorrerá linearmente todos os meses do ano. A intenção é que o resultado final traga mais competitividade para o consumidor. Qualquer barreira tarifária não faz sentido quando estamos discutindo um mercado livre.

A Abicom está trabalhando para que haja maior isonomia?

Trabalhamos junto à ANP, mas não há nada firmado ainda. Para nós, 2018 foi o ano do diesel, por conta do programa de subvenção. Com o fim das obrigações do programa, entraremos nesta outra frente de trabalho, da não necessidade de comprovação dos estoques de passagem pelo importador. O importador tem como garantir as condições de compra e ele não está abastecendo todos os meses. E essa questão dos pedidos é muito complicada. São segundos de tempo para saber se haverá produto disponível ou não.

E foi levada alguma sugestão sobre qual processo poderia ser mais adequado?

Qualquer processo ou regra para estabelecimento de cota é complicado para ser definido. Sempre será injusto para algum lado. A Abicom entende que não deveria existir essa cota. O discurso de mercado livre é justamente a competição entre agentes.

O movimento por parte dos Estados Unidos para derrubar a cota de importação de etanol é saudável para o setor?

Os EUA têm um excedente de etanol de milho, principalmente depois que a China limitou [as importações via barreiras tarifárias]. O país está com preços mais competitivos para exportar e o Brasil é um bom local para receber. Seria interessante [o fim da tarifa de importação] porque vai trazer para o consumidor brasileiro um preço mais competitivo.

Você mencionou que 2018 foi o ano do diesel. 2019 será o ano de qual combustível?

Com o reposicionamento da Petrobras no refino, acreditamos que a companhia estará alinhada com o mercado internacional e talvez não vá participar tanto das importações. A expectativa é de uma retomada [nas importações] de diesel e gasolina, embora a gasolina seja mais complicada porque depende muito de como estará o etanol e o consumo do Ciclo Otto.

A ANP tem perspectivas mais positivas para o setor neste ano, depois de o consumo de combustíveis ter apresentado estabilidade em 2018…

Nossa expectativa está muito alinhada como o reposicionamento da Petrobras, que é o agente dominante no nosso mercado. Chegamos a ter de 25pc a 30pc [das importações] no último ano, depois do programa de subvenção. Agora esperamos um mercado livre, onde todos os agentes possam atuar. Entendemos que tem espaço para cada um cumprir o seu papel, até porque existe um déficit estrutural. Não temos capacidade de refino para atender diesel e gasolina. A importação serve para complementar esse volume até que se tenha esse investimento em refino.

Ao longo do programa de subvenção, muitos participantes diziam que, apesar da burocracia, ao menos havia a certeza de que o preço seguiria a paridade internacional. Com o fim do programa, acha que os preços serão respeitados?

Desde novembro, a ANP publica a média da paridade de importação para cinco portos e cinco tipos de combustíveis. Essa ferramenta foi um avanço por parte da agência e ajuda a identificar comportamentos abusivos. Se houver algum caso de preço predatório em um determinado porto – tanto para baixo quanto para cima – a ANP poderá levar a questão adiante.

Existe um limite para que um preço seja considerado predatório?

É algo bem específico, não existe um limite ou uma faixa de preços. Pode ser uma questão de estoque, uma situação em determinado porto, estamos falando de oferta e demanda. O posicionamento da Abicom é de livre mercado e em pontos específicos o preço estava muito abaixo da paridade de importação, o que inviabilizou a importação naqueles locais.

Como a Abicom espera que a Petrobras se comporte?

O discurso do presidente da Petrobras, Roberto Castello Branco, está muito em linha com o livre mercado de competição. Temos esperança de que o cenário mude. Até agora existe um descolamento [entre os preços praticados pela companhia e a paridade de importação], mas achamos que é por conta do tempo para se adequar à nova gestão. Existem vários outros assuntos que precisam ser resolvidos, mas esperamos que aconteça o mais rápido possível porque as empresas estão bastante desanimadas. O período entre maio a dezembro de 2018 foi muito difícil para as nossas associadas e havia uma expectativa de que uma chave fosse virada em 1º de janeiro, o que não aconteceu. Agora estamos vendo como tudo irá se encaixar.

Quais os principais obstáculos para as importadoras atualmente?

Previsibilidade é a palavra-chave. É preciso considerar uma política de preços que de fato seguirá o mercado internacional. Como atualmente os preços não acompanham, não é possível ter a confiança de que essa é a nova regra do jogo. Precisamos de previsibilidade de preços para que o mercado volte a confiar e dê continuidade aos investimentos que foram iniciados no fim de 2016, início de 2017.

E qual é a atual regra do jogo?

Tentamos olhar para a curva de preço e identificar um padrão, o que não foi possível. Chegamos à conclusão de que não há uma regra. Nossa expectativa é de que seja estabelecida uma regra, para que haja mais previsibilidade.

A política de preços da Petrobras é a principal queixa dos associados?

É, porque a empresa teve um reposicionamento em 2017. A empresa fechou 2017 com 4,3pc de participação nas importações e em 2018 já havia chegado a 27,28pc. Quando olhamos o [dado] mensal, em dezembro 60pc das importações foram da Petrobras. O mercado que sobra para os agentes independentes é muito pequeno. De novo, achamos que cada agente deve ter seu papel na cadeia, que o produtor produza o máximo de rentabilidade de seus ativos para que a produção seja a mais viável possível e o volume complementar possa ser oferecido pelos importadores.


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