Tuesday September 9th, 2025

From the heart of Brazil’s semi-arid Northeast to the supermarket shelves of Europe, the Brazilian melon follows a path that combines science, innovation, and human labor. Agrícola Famosa, the country’s largest producer and exporter of the fruit, has transformed adverse climatic conditions into a competitive advantage and established itself as an international benchmark for quality and sustainability.

To give an idea of the company’s scale, Agrícola Famosa accounted for roughly 40% of the total 198,000 tons of melon and watermelon exported by Brazil in the first six months of the year, shipping approximately 90,000 tons to the international market. According to data from Abrafrutas, these sales generated around US$138 million in revenue during this period.

Frutas do Brasil — the internationalization project of the Brazilian Association of Fruit and Derivatives Producers and Exporters (Abrafrutas), in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) — spoke with Carlo Porro, founder of Agrícola Famosa, to understand the secrets and processes behind the company’s success.

According to the executive, the melon’s journey begins in the greenhouses of TopPlant Mudas, a company within the group, where seeds are germinated in an environment protected from pests and diseases. After ten days, the seedlings are moved to the field, where they remain under special covers for up to 25 days. Approximately two months after pollination, each fruit is manually harvested. Their next destination is the packing houses, where the melons undergo cleaning, sorting, and packaging processes. Then, a rigorous logistics process maintains the cold chain, ensuring they reach international shelves within 25 days with their quality and freshness preserved.

Porro explained that to increase efficiency without sacrificing quality, investment in technology was necessary. He notes that Agrícola Famosa uses an Aqua4D System that optimizes water use, while automation in the field ensures balanced fertilization. “We have proven through laboratory and field tests that using biopesticides is not only safer but also more effective and viable. In short, the adoption of the regenerative production model was the key turning point, and it is with this model that we have been able to cultivate our soils for over 25 years,” he comments.

Record harvests are projected for melon and watermelon in the second half of the year. This is because the peak harvest and export season begins in August and, according to the executive, the growth seen between January and June could be repeated. The forecast is for 350,000 tons of fruit to be sold between August 2025 and July 2026.

Sustainability and Innovation are the Trademark of Agrícola Famosa

Carlo Porro explains that the company makes maximum reuse of any fruit that is not sold. According to him, the fruit pomace is sent to compost production yards and integrated into the appropriate ecosystem, eventually returning to the cultivation areas for the next production cycle.

Large-scale production requires technological support to be sustainable, and at Agrícola Famosa, it is no different. The company’s planting blocks are equipped with mini weather stations, allowing for targeted management of each plot. “All our farms have a technical field monitoring system, making it possible to track the status and conditions of each planted area from anywhere in the world via an app,” he adds.

Roughly 80% of Agrícola Famosa’s production is exported, with 95% of that volume destined for Europe. Germany and the Netherlands are among the main destinations, while the company’s operations in England and Spain reinforce its international presence. One of the key innovations highlighted by Porro for these positive results is the use of chartered ships, which ensure fresher fruit deliveries. According to him, these vessels leave the Brazilian coast weekly with around seven thousand tons of fruit.

Looking to the Future

Agrícola Famosa’s presence in the international market is set to grow even larger in the coming years. The company plans to diversify its portfolio with crops such as grapes and limes, and is actively pursuing the goal of entering new markets, such as China.

About Frutas do Brasil

Abrafrutas (the Brazilian Association of Fruit and Derivative Producers and Exporters), in partnership with ApexBrasil (the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), develops this project to support Brazilian exporters in their quest to expand their businesses, open new markets, build recognition and differentiation for Brazilian fruits, and promote the healthy habit of consuming flavorful, high-quality fruit.

About Abrafrutas

The Brazilian Association of Fruit and Derivative Producers and Exporters (Abrafrutas) is a non-profit association whose purpose is to represent and promote the Brazilian fruit farming sector on the international market. Founded in 2014, Abrafrutas has approximately 70 growers and/or exporters members and accounts for roughly 85% of the total volume of fresh fruit exported by Brazil.

About ApexBrasil   

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) promotes Brazilian products and services abroad and attracts foreign investments to strategic industries of the Brazilian economy. To reach its goals, ApexBrasil carries out diversified trade promotion actions aimed at promoting exports and valuing Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and trade missions, business roundtables, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, and visits by foreign buyers and influencers to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that are also focused on strengthening “Brazil” as a brand. The agency also acts in a coordinated manner with public and private actors to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil, focusing on strategic sectors for the development of the competitiveness of Brazilian companies and the country.