Fruits from Brazil Gain More Market Abroad

Fruits from Brazil Gain More Market Abroad

Brazil is putting more fruit on the shelves of supermarkets around the world. Four markets were conquered this year: Colombia, Nicaragua and Senegal authorized sales of apples and Argentina, of figs. For Colombia, which since March has received 100 tonnes of national apples, 3,000 to 4,000 tonnes of the gala variety should be shipped by the end of the year.

The projection is from the Brazilian Association of Apple Producers (ABPM). "We want to reach 10% of that market, which imports 100,000 tons per year, with 10,000 tons in 2022", says Celso Zancan, ABPM's Commercial and Logistics Director for External Market. To gain space at the tables of Colombians, Brazil will compete with Chile, the largest supplier of the fruit to the South American country. Zancan says that the Brazilian apple is smaller, but gains in flavor and color.

In the medium term, the sector expects licenses to export apples to Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia.

NEW HORIZONS:

China is one of the targets of national fruit exporters. Phytosanitary protocols for grape, avocado and lemon are being discussed. “The process is more advanced in relation to grapes,” says Guilherme Coelho, president of the Brazilian Association of Fruit and Derivative Exporters (Abrafrutas). The expectation of the sector is to obtain authorization within a year and a half. There is sales potential of US$9 million.

MIX:

Opportunities for avocados in the United States and Japan are also being evaluated. “These are important ways to diversify the export agenda”, considers Flávio Bettarello, deputy secretary for Commerce and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture. Today, 95% of national fruit exports, of 1.03 million tons in 2020, are destined for the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States.

AT ALL STEAM:

With the favorable exchange rate and the search for healthy foods, exporters intend to earn 15% more with foreign sales by the end of the year, reaching US$ 1 billion, according to Abrafrutas. Part of the target, US$ 440 million, was achieved in the first half. Brazil is the third largest fruit producer in the world, with 45 million tonnes per year. The sector employs 5 million people.

ASIA:

After launching its plant-based chicken meat this year in Singapore, where it is headquartered, as well as in Hong Kong and Macau, NextGen has its eye on Brazil. The idea is to start operating here between 2022 and 2023. Andre Menezes, CEO of NextGen, predicts that the country will represent 15% to 25% of the company's sales within 10 years. “The plant-based market today is concentrated in the US and Europe, but we understand that in 10 to 15 years Brazil and China will also be very accelerated”, says the executive. The Chinese market is also in the plans.

FOR BRAZIL:

The company does not intend to have a Brazilian factory, but to establish a partnership with a manufacturer that has industrial operations and operates without its own brand. “We would bring our technology, our ingredients and our process to this factory to produce under our brand”, says Menezes, who has already worked for BRF. The pandemic has delayed conversations with potential partners. “We still haven't had the opportunity to visit and try the products,” he says.

EYE ON THE SKY:

Swedish meteorology company Ignitia has completed a $4.2 million round of financing to launch in Brazil its decision support services, from preparation to harvesting the agricultural crop. According to CEO Rui Antunes, Ignitia adapted its system to the conditions in the country in a process that lasted about 18 months. Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, it guarantees 84% ​​accuracy in weather forecasts.

TOGETHER:

In Brazil, Ignitia signed a partnership with startup StarkSat, a satellite monitoring company, which serves producers in more than 3 million hectares. Bernardo Arnaud, CEO of StarkSat, says the company uses Ignitia's services in some of its platforms and insurance to prevent agricultural losses in Africa and Latin America.

LARGE STEP:

FarmBox, a management platform for rural properties, expects to monitor a 40% larger area this year. By December, it wants to cover 2.8 million hectares, compared to 2 million hectares currently tracked, says André Cantarelli, CEO of CheckPlant/Farmbox. Part of the increase should come through partnerships with input resellers and agronomic consulting. "We want to reach smaller producers, from 2,000 hectares onwards", says the executive. Today, the farmer served by the startup has, on average, 8,000 hectares.

ON THE SIDE:

For expansion, agtech targets the Midwest and Matopiba (Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí and Bahia), where it operates in soybean, cotton, corn and sugarcane crops. “The producer is more receptive to digitizing the operation,” notes Cantarelli. FarmBox also hopes to increase its presence in Bolivia and Paraguay, from the current 45 thousand hectares. A possible entry into Argentina is in plans for 2022/23.

Source: Abrafrutas, Terra.