Friday July 28th, 2023

The 28th of July is a special date, set aside to honor those who work tirelessly to grow the food that comes to our table: the farmers. At this moment of recognition, we want to highlight the importance of the hard work of these workers in the lives of local communities and celebrate the trajectory of the Frutas do Brasil project — the export program of the Brazilian Association of Producers and Exporters of Fruit and Derivatives (Abrafrutas), with the support from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) — which has been a fundamental pillar in supporting Brazilian exporters, opening new markets and promoting the country’s delicious fruits around the world.

That’s why we invited two program participants to tell us what this date means for them and their businesses. After all, each fruit picked is a testament to the strength and importance of the passionate work of the people who promote the excellence of Brazilian fruit around the world.

For Luiz Eduardo Raffaeli, CEO of BeFruit, an export producer company of tropical products such as oranges, lemons, avocados and gingers, the process of fruit growing is a journey of challenges and uncertainties. “The unpredictability of our business is enormous, whether concerning health, climate or marketing. This work is nonstop, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Above all, fruit growing is an activity of passion with a very strong social nature”.

And it’s this passion that drives the hearts of fruit growers to face every obstacle and find satisfaction in harvesting the results of their hard work. “The passion of seeing our trees producing, our team working and the impact that this has on the city and region is very rewarding. Seeing the line at supermarkets, bakeries and stores, watching people consuming fruits in the cities around us is to understand the size of the influence we generate in the region. I think the word to describe our work is passion”, shares Luiz with enthusiasm.

Waldyr Promicia, president of Itacitrus, a company that produces and exports organic Tahiti limes and the largest lime producer in Brazil, shares the story of a significant transformation that his farm brought to a region that was once considered unproductive. “We arrived in the region and faced challenges in the search for financing. But the determination of the farmers and the commitment to sustainable practices proved that it was possible to produce successfully. Today, thousands of families benefit from the project, and the region, previously poor, has prospered thanks to export-focused agriculture”.

Luiz Eduardo Raffaeli and Waldyr Promicia’s trajectory demonstrate that the work of Brazilian fruit growers is not just about growing fruit, but about building communities and rescuing the dignity of the people involved.

The commercialization and export of Brazilian fruits not only boost the economy, but also generate jobs and strengthen rural communities.

By consuming Brazilian fruits, we are valuing the work of farmers, their stories of overcoming challenges and their dedication to growing healthy and delicious food.

Happy Farmer’s Day to all!

 

About Frutas do Brasil

Abrafrutas (Brazilian Association of Producers and Exporters of Fruits and Derivatives), in partnership with ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), develops a project to support Brazilian exporters in their quest to expand their business; opening new markets; recognition and differentiation of Brazilian fruits; increase the healthy habit of consuming tasty and superior quality fruits. Since the project started in 2014, Frutas do Brasil aims to show that Brazil is a provider of quality fruits produced in a sustainable way.

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.