The Brazilian tropical fruit market
Whether due to the growing concern with health, or the difficulties that arise with climate change, it is undeniable to recognize that the eating habits of the world population are undergoing changes. According to a survey by the academic journal American Journal of Agricultural Economics, the global trend is towards greater dietary diversification by the year 2050, with an increase of between 20% and 42% of plant products. These changes in the global diet, added to the world economic scenario (such as the rise in the dollar) may actually prove to be a great opportunity for fruit producers here in Brazil.
In the first half of 2019 alone, fruit exports grew by more than 20%, and the expectation is for a even better result for the second half of this year. However, despite the numbers seeming very promising, Brazil is still in the twenty third position of the largest fruit exporters in the world, being surpassed by non-tropical countries like Holland (sixth) and Spain (first).
The most exported fruits by the Brazilian producer are: mango, papaya, avocado, banana and soursop. While these fruits are clearly a success around the globe, the competition for the export of these products internationally, it is a great challenge, mainly due to the large volume that Mexico and Ecuador occupy in the same market.
Despite the numbers and challenges mentioned above, Brazil is still the third largest fruit producer in the world, and this shows its great export potential in this segment. The solution can be seen in the search for exporting other types of fruit, which have great notoriety and popularity internationally, but even so are little explored by the producer. Açaí, for example, has great acceptance in the American territory, guaraná, in turn, in addition to producing the famous soda, is also a raw material for several by-products, cupuaçu itself has many uses and can be quite successful in the international market as it is a product typical brazilian and very private too.
The foreign market for tropical fruits has perhaps never been so promising. Considering that only 3 in every 100 Brazilian fruits are shipped abroad, even with the low internal demand for the product, seeking internationalization may prove to be the most profitable path for the producer.
By Gabriel Souza on 08/29/2019
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