The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), Blairo Maggi, launched on Tuesday (27) the National Plan for the Development of Fruit Growing (PNDF) in partnership with private sector entities with the objective of improving quality, production, domestic consumption and exports of fruit. The minister said that the plan will contribute to Brazil exporting more and highlighted characteristics of the segment, in which “the work is intense and passionate, practically without the use of mechanization”.
During the launch, Maggi signed an ordinance creating an Advisory Committee to formulate projects for the sector, which will be coordinated by the MAPA and formed by four members of the private sector. Brazilian exports of fresh fruit have the potential to grow. After a record US $ 1 billion in 2008, the sector has not repeated this performance again, which Luiz Roberto Barcelos, president of Abrafrutas (Brazilian Association of Fruit and By-product Exporters), hopes to achieve again this or next year.
“The plan is extensive, ranging from new rules for licensing the use of agrochemicals to the international standardization of phytosanitary certificates,” the minister explained, adding that the purpose is to further develop the sector. With the PNDF, the goal is to improve the scenario of the fruit production chain, which contributes R $ 33 billion to the gross value of agricultural production. And increase its participation in the Brazilian agribusiness production chain – responsible for about a quarter of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the equivalent of almost 50% of national exports.
Two million hectares from north to south of the country are cultivated with temperate and tropical fruit species, producing 44 million tons throughout the year and employing 5 million people, 16% of the total agribusiness vacancies. “At each hectare planted are generated at least two jobs,” according to Barcelos.
The international fresh fruit market has the potential to grow. Despite being the third largest fruit producer, Brazil ranks 23rd among the largest exporters of these products. The PNDF’s long-term goals, set until 2028, include participating with R $ 60 billion in the global food market, increasing internal fruit consumption to 70 kilos per capita per year and reaching $ 2 billion in fruit exports fresh and derived products.
Only five products concentrate about 75% of the Brazilian exports of fresh fruit, when considering the period from 2014 to 2016: mangos, nuts, melons, lemons and grapes. With the exception of grapes, the products exported by Brazil do not represent the favorites of the market. Brazil’s share is still insignificant in the world’s most traded fruit trade: bananas, apples, oranges (in natura), mandarins, almonds and pears.
MAPA executive secretary Eumar Novacki highlighted the interest in turning fruit production into a power in Brazilian exports and announced that other plans for different agribusiness segments are underway, such as beans, milk and cattle. “This plan will serve as a reference for the next,” he said.
The specific projects of the Advisory Committee, recommending short, medium and long-term actions for the adoption of measures by governmental institutions and private sector will be defined from 10 thematic areas: Chain Governance; Research, Development and Innovation; Production systems; Plant Protection; Quality management; Credit and Risk Mitigation Systems; Legislation; Infrastructure and Logistics; Processing and Industrialization; and Marketing and Marketing.