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Brazil is the country that preserves the most in the world. And for that, several practices, managements and strategies are used in fruit growing in order to produce better, more efficiently and integrated to the environment.
The Brazilian fruit growing has shown an expressive development throughout the last 30 years. Technological advancements in the production and post harvest phases have determined high gains in productivity, quality, and in social, economical and environmental sustainability, highlighting the land conservation effect and the economy or reduction in the use of natural resources.
Among some practices which are responsible for the production increase reducing the use of natural resources, we can mention the use of species that are more tolerant to stress, managing soil fertility with bio-fertilizers, adopting irrigation equipment which privilege the reduction of water consumption and the integrated pest management.
The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) increasingly incorporates more biological control agents to the production. According to Embrapa, these actions include the use of entomopathogenic fungi, such as Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisoplae, and natural enemies for pests such as leaf miners (flies). Bacteria have been important tools and have been multiplied in the rural properties and in some chains, for example in mango and grape growing.
The sector encourages and adopts the continuous improvement concept in actions to protect the environment.
Besides IPM, fruit growing in Brazil counts with with a great adoption of technological innovations to increase productivity and sustainability, in areas such as genetic improvement, production of seedlings in protected environment, fertility management, soil conservation and rational use of water, according to Embrapa.
Another important factor is that Brazil complies to the Integrated Production (IP) guidance from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA), and have requirements that are more rigorous than the ones from GLOBALG.A.P, considered the global benchmark for the best agricultural practices.
Certifications
GLOBAL G.A.P. is an excellent opportunity for the fruit growers accessing more demanding markets and, also, more solid ones, such as the European market.
The GLOBAL G.A.P certification has as objective to ensure the security of food products, demonstrating the producer’s commitment and responsibility to food security and sustainability using good agricultural practices for production and manufacturing.
Integrated Production
Integrated Production enables a traceable production of secured food products, without chemical and biological contaminants, with economical, social and environmental sustainability.
Brazil has 19 fruit plants which comply to the specific technical norms and standards that have already been published, in conditions to be certified by accredited private certification bodies.