Producers mobilize to obtain Geographical Indication for bananas in Vale do Ribeira

The famous banana from Vale do Ribeira, in São Paulo, can be identified with the region's seal of origin. To begin the Geographical Indication (GI) process, an itinerant event visited four municipalities in the region – Registro, Miracatu, Eldorado and Cajati – to guide those interested in obtaining certification.

Banana is one of the main crops in the Vale do Ribeira region, which brings together 22 municipalities. São Paulo is the largest national producer of bananas, accounting for 15,7% of the total produced in Brazil in 2018, according to the Institute of Agricultural Economics (IEA-APTA). Vale do Ribeira produced 34,5 million boxes of 21 kilos of bananas in 2019, which generated R$1 billion for the region and accounted for 65% of the state's production of the fruit.

The process to obtain the GI has the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), Sebrae and the Federal Institute of São Paulo and the participation of several entities, such as the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply of São Paulo (SAA-SP).

According to federal agricultural tax auditor Francisco Mitidieri, the benefits of a GI process go beyond the mere appreciation of the product at the time of sale. “Producers will develop a culture of association, they will be able to make collective purchases, gaining in scale, they will raise the level of good production practices and will have protected assets”.

Mitidieri became involved with Geographical Indication processes on the Map in 2014 and has been following coffee initiatives in the Garça region, Jundiaí grapes, among others. According to the agronomist, the two most common questions from producers are: how much does a GI process cost and how much they can earn from it.

The answers are relative. The cost can range from zero (if producers carry out all phases) to approximately R$200, if the group has the resources and chooses to hire specialized consultants to assist in the process. There are lines of credit available for this purpose. As for gains, in addition to the advantages for the territory presented above, the literature indicates that GI certification can yield producers up to 50% more. “This is as long as the tradition is well communicated, is reflected in the seal and the consumer recognizes this difference”, he explained.

Another common question is how long it takes to obtain the seal, which is issued by the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI). Mitidieri said he has already observed processes that lasted eight years and others that were closed after three. Everything depends on the mobilization of producers.

The GI does not always distinguish some sensory factor of the product, that is, the banana from Vale do Ribeira may not necessarily present any physical characteristic or flavor different from others. In the case of the GI of origin, what counts is the production tradition in that geographical area, as well as historical and cultural aspects that may be involved with the banana.

The proximity to the Atlantic Forest may be a differentiator for this product, but those who will define the GI specifications are the producers themselves, according to Juliana Antunes, head of the Family Agriculture Service, and Raquel Rizzi, technical analyst for Social Policies, two members of the team from the DDR (Rural Development Division) of the Federal Superintendence of Agriculture of São Paulo (SFA-SP). They were in four municipalities in the region giving lectures in September.

Producers

Jeferson Reginaldo Magario, vice-president of the Banana Growers Association of Vale do Ribeira (Abavar), said that expectations are high and producers have been thinking about this possibility for a long time. “We didn’t know how to do it. At the event, we were a little scared because we saw that it takes a lot, but it's not impossible. We were also hopeful,” he said.

According to him, Abavar represents around 400 producers, mainly of dwarf and silver bananas. Jeferson grows the fruit on 55 hectares and continues a family history, which began in the 1940s with his grandfather. He sells to Greater São Paulo and believes that the seal will help build customer loyalty.

Isnaldo Lima da Costa Júnior, one of the coordinators of CooperCentral VR, said that the IG seal will bring a reference to the region. “As it is a regional seal, it has to involve all actors in the production chain. We have an idea of ​​the appeal it represents,” he said. Coopercentral brings together 12 institutions in Vale do Ribeira, nine of which are cooperatives and three associations, totaling around 1.500 family farming producers.

President of the Miracatu Banana Growers Cooperative, Isnaldo Costa believes that IG will add value to the product, which is grown sustainably. “We have a wonderful heritage here in the Atlantic Forest. We produce in 20% to 25% of the territory and 75% are preserved", he stated. He said that CooperCentral VR will begin an internal debate process so that all those represented are included, including three quilombola communities.

Sebrae and IFSP

Anderson Bezerra de Lima and Claudio Perin, Sebrae Business consultants from the Vale do Ribeira Regional Office, said that, initially, Sebrae hired a company specialized in Geographical Indication to carry out a feasibility study, indicating five chains: banana, palm heart peach palm, buffalo milk, Moti rice and tea.

“The chains that met the requirements were banana and peach palm,” said Anderson. Next, Sebrae contracted the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology to implement the GI for banana and palm hearts. Soon after hiring, Sebrae was responsible for coordinating with producers, associations and cooperatives and for forming the management committee.

The expectation with the Vale do Ribeira banana GI is that customers perceive and value the products from this region covered by the Geographical Indication, in addition to strengthening associations in that territory.

Administrator and university professor Jurandir Domingues Júnior coordinates the Banana do Vale do Ribeira GI Project Management Committee. He said that the demand came from Sebrae, which asked the Federal Institute of São Paulo (IFSP), Registration campus, to carry out an initial survey on products from the region that would have some potential to request the GI seal from INPI.

According to the coordinator, the project foresees 12 stages that will be developed over three years (see art below). Local supporters include Abavar, CooperCentral, Unesp (Universidade Estadual Paulista), Apta (Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios), Codivar (Consortium for Intermunicipal Development of Vale do Ribeira and Litoral Sul), Itesp (Land Institute of the State of São Paulo), Cati/CDRS (Sustainable Rural Development Coordination), among others.

“The event provided greater proximity between the members of the Management Committee and local society, mainly with producers and their representative entities, a fundamental point for the success of the project, since producers are the true protagonists of this process”, he said.