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São Francisco river valley doubles fruit exports
Brazil
Wednesday 04 February 2009
Annual production in the region exceeds one million tonnes and generates 240,000 direct jobs.
Around 70% of the fruit exported by Brazil goes to the European market, according to figures supplied by the Brazilian Fruit Institute (Ibraf). The figures show that the São Francisco River Valley (Bahia and Pernambuco) represents no less than 99% of total grape shipments and 87% of mango shipments from the country.
In the 120,000 irrigated hectares, 240,000 direct jobs are generated, with annual production of over one million tons of fruit, especially grapes (12,000 hectares) and mangoes (23,000 hectares), as well as cultures like Brazil cherry, guava, green coconut, melon, watermelon, banana and passion fruit, among others.
According to information disclosed by the commercial director and producer of Mango Brazil Association, Antonio Nogueira, in 2008, the region exported to Europe ten containers of mango, amounting to 220 tons, through Fair Trade. "We have practically managed to double the quantity exported when compared to 2007. And our expectation is for the total to rise again this year," he pointed out.
Another association of small farmers in the city of Juazeiro that also exported to Europe in 2008 was Aproac – the Association of Farmers of Organics in the Caraíba Water Way Region, thanks to organic certification. Over 150 tons of organic mangoes were sent to the European country, in partnership with an exporter from the region.
According to Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) manager Rinaldo Moraes, not only small fruit farmers had good export results last year. He said that farmers in the Coopercuc (the Family Farming Cooperative of Canudos, Uauá and Curaçá), which make sweets and jams from native fruit, sold to Austria and Italy a total of 34,770 Brazilian reals (US$ 15,050) in products.
In the 120,000 irrigated hectares, 240,000 direct jobs are generated, with annual production of over one million tons of fruit, especially grapes (12,000 hectares) and mangoes (23,000 hectares), as well as cultures like Brazil cherry, guava, green coconut, melon, watermelon, banana and passion fruit, among others.
According to information disclosed by the commercial director and producer of Mango Brazil Association, Antonio Nogueira, in 2008, the region exported to Europe ten containers of mango, amounting to 220 tons, through Fair Trade. "We have practically managed to double the quantity exported when compared to 2007. And our expectation is for the total to rise again this year," he pointed out.
Another association of small farmers in the city of Juazeiro that also exported to Europe in 2008 was Aproac – the Association of Farmers of Organics in the Caraíba Water Way Region, thanks to organic certification. Over 150 tons of organic mangoes were sent to the European country, in partnership with an exporter from the region.
According to Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) manager Rinaldo Moraes, not only small fruit farmers had good export results last year. He said that farmers in the Coopercuc (the Family Farming Cooperative of Canudos, Uauá and Curaçá), which make sweets and jams from native fruit, sold to Austria and Italy a total of 34,770 Brazilian reals (US$ 15,050) in products.
