Panel SA: Mask price drops and leaves the factory at R$ 1, says industry

Near the end of the mandatory use of masks in the state of São Paulo, the price of the product plummets. The PFF2 model unit has already left the industry with an average price of around R$ 1, according to Animaseg (National Association of the Material Industry for Safety and Protection at Work).

The unit value is well below that registered at the peak of the pandemic, when it ranged from R$ 3 to R$ 9, says Raul Casanova Júnior, executive director of the entity.

The association complains about imported competition at a time of falling demand and criticizes the ban on exports of domestic products, in force since April 2020.

“The government does not realize that Brazil is managing to supply its own market and extended the reduction in the import tax on products to Covid until June 2022. It is absurd”, says Casanova Júnior.

The market for PFF2 masks, also used as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) by workers, tripled in the pandemic, triggering a flurry of supply. The number of companies that manufacture or import the product jumped from 28 in February 2020 to 86 in October this year.

This Wednesday (24), the governor of SP, João Doria, announced that he will make the use of masks in open environments in the state more flexible from December 11th. The measure was attributed to the drop in pandemic numbers.

with Mariana Grazini e Andressa Motter