Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed a decree authorizing donation of about 260,000 tons of food to 11 poor countries.

The measure, published in the Official Journal on Thursday, will benefit Haiti, El Salvador, Guatemala, Bolivia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor Leste. Some of the food can be donated to other countries affected by "adverse socio-natural events or in acute food insecurity situation."

The state-owned National Supply Company (Conab) will be responsible for

loading "free and unembarrassed" food in the ships to be sent abroad departing from the country's main ports, and operations costs will be covered by resources from the National Budget.

The government may donate up to 100,000 tons of beans, 100,000 tons of maize or its industrial equivalent, 50,000 tons of rice or its milled equivalent and 10,000 tons of powdered milk.

(Xinhua News Agency February 12, 2010)