Mato Grosso plans R$2 popular restaurants in all 142 municipalities

During a visit to the Popular Restaurant in Cuiabá, Sérgio Ricardo, president of the Tribunal de Contas de Mato Grosso (TCE‑MT), announced a proposal to install at least one low‑cost restaurant in every one of the state's 142 municipalities. The plan, to be incorporated into the Plano de Metas Mato Grosso 2050, would offer meals priced at R$2, funded jointly by the state government and municipal authorities.

Ricardo said the initiative targets the roughly 500,000 residents living below the poverty line, noting that "people in Mato Grosso do not have food to eat today, yesterday, or tomorrow." The proposed network would include six units in Cuiabá, four in Várzea Grande, three in Rondonópolis, and four in smaller centers such as Sinop and Nova Mutum. Restaurants would procure food from family‑farm agriculture, following the model used for the national school feeding program, and could expand to evening service and tax incentives for food donations.

The proposal aims to reduce food insecurity across the state, strengthen local agricultural production, and generate rural income while providing a safety net for vulnerable populations.