Tuesday July 23rd, 2024

Brazilian fruit growing has the support of the Brazilian Association of Fruit and Derivative Exporters (Abrafrutas) to achieve levels of excellence in production and export to other countries. In this scenario, in which international certifiers and consumers are increasingly demanding, it is essential that Brazilian fruit production is aligned with technologies that make the entire production chain more sustainable.

To better understand this scenario, we spoke with Zacarias Ribeiro Filho, ESG Consultant at Abrafrutas. Zacarias is an Agricultural Engineer, Master in Semiarid Development Dynamics with an MBA in ESG.

According to Zacarias, demand from international markets is currently focused on food quality and safety. “We have a generation of very demanding consumers, they want to understand how the fruit is cared for from farm to fork”, he says. Because of this, sustainable technologies make it possible to provide accurate information to these consumers, who can access the tracking of how the fruit was produced, including care from production to packaging. “These technologies influence food safety, an issue that impacts what is demanded by the market,” he says. 

 

Discover the 3 most used sustainable technologies in Brazilian fruit growing:

 

Bioinputs

 

According to Zacarias, Brazilian fruit farming is a world leader in the use of bioinputs, both for biofertilizers and bioinsecticides. Bioinputs are products of biological origin used in agriculture to promote plant growth, improve soil health and increase crop resistance to diseases, pests and environmental stresses. They are composed of beneficial microorganisms, plant extracts, humic acids, among other natural compounds.

 

Bioinputs differ from traditional chemical fertilizers because they are based on biological processes and are generally more sustainable and environmentally friendly. They can include products such as biofertilizers — which provide nutrients to plants —, bioinsecticides — which control pests and diseases naturally — and other plant growth and protection stimulants.

 

The use of bioinputs is growing due to the need to reduce the environmental impact associated with the use of synthetic chemicals in agriculture.

 

Drip irrigation system

 

The drip irrigation system is an efficient and precise technique for supplying water to plants, which consists of the direct application of water to the roots of plants in a controlled manner and in small quantities, through perforated tubes — also called drippers — placed nearby to plants or directly into the soil.

 

This type of irrigation demonstrates the care taken with the management of water resources in Brazilian fruit farming. “Drip technology is efficient and intensive in saving water, directly contributing to the sustainable use of water resources”, says Zacarias. 

Precision agriculture

 

Precision Agriculture is a modern, technological approach to agricultural management that uses detailed information about soil conditions, climate and other variables to optimize the use of agricultural inputs such as water, fertilizers and pesticides. The main objective is to increase production efficiency, reduce costs and minimize environmental impact. 

 

This approach includes tracking and monitoring technology, which records the entire production process, as well as high-precision agricultural machinery and equipment. Thus, advanced technology and detailed data analysis allows farmers to make more strategic decisions, increasing productivity and long-term sustainability.

Precision Agriculture, therefore, represents an evolution in agricultural management, integrating advanced technology to improve operational efficiency, reduce waste and promote sustainable practices in the global agricultural sector.

About Abrafrutas

 

The Brazilian Association of Producers and Exporters of Fruit and Derivatives (Abrafrutas) is a non-profit association whose purpose is to represent and promote Brazilian fruit growing in the international market. Created in 2014, Abrafrutas has approximately 70 associated fruit exporters and holds approximately 85% of the total volume of fresh fruit exported by Brazil.

About ApexBrasil

 

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investments to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. In order to achieve its goals, ApexBrasil carries out several trade promotion initiatives aimed at promoting Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and trade missions, business rounds, support to the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits of foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim at strengthening the Brazil brand.