São Paulo fruit growing gains space in the international market

With the aim of promoting the international growth of São Paulo's fruit industry, the State Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply of SP participated in the opening of Fruit Attraction SP 2025, the main international fruit and vegetable fair in Latin America, this Tuesday (25/03), in the capital of São Paulo.

On the occasion, the São Paulo Department of Agriculture signed a technical cooperation agreement with the Department of Agriculture, Supply and Rural Development of the Federal District (Seagri) with a focus on the production of red fruits. The partnership includes training personnel in strategic areas, mutual technical assistance and data sharing, aiming at the development of family farming projects.

“Fruit farming adds value, boosts the economy, creates jobs and preserves the environment. Brazil has enormous potential to not only lead the world in food security, but also in energy transition and mitigating the effects of climate change. SP is the state with the greatest crop diversification in Brazil, which makes us the leader in the Brazilian trade balance even in difficult years, with severe drought,” highlighted the Secretary of Agriculture and Supply, Guilherme Piai.

It is worth noting that the State of São Paulo is the main national producer of fruit, exporting more than US$250 million per year, according to data from the Institute of Agricultural Economics (IEA – Apta), linked to SAA. In 2024, fruit production in São Paulo registered a growth of 13% compared to the previous year. Citrus products alone accounted for 50% of the share, with 112 thousand tons exported. In addition, the juice group is the second largest exporter in the trade balance, totaling 14,2% of the share, totaling US$573,74 million, of which 98,6% corresponds to orange juice.

With a diversified fruit production, SP also leads the production of bananas, with 26% of the total produced in the country, and avocados, with 40%. Other highlights are persimmons, mangos, papayas, guavas and figs. During the fair, the Agriculture Department, through its coordinators — Apta, Cati, Agricultural Defense — and the Sector Chambers, presents the main initiatives of the São Paulo government for the development of fruit production in São Paulo.

Among the initiatives is the Projeto Frutas Vermelhas SP, which encourages the production of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries in São Paulo, with an emphasis on family farming, bringing income and crop diversification to the countryside, in addition to transmitting innovation and extension to producers. In addition, it has the Projeto Cacau SP, which aims to boost cocoa farming in the state. In 2025, 34,3 thousand new trees were planted, an increase of 37,83% compared to 2024.

At Fruit Attraction, the Agricultural Defense Coordination (CDA) presented phytosanitary certification of origin actions that enable the export of products from São Paulo. The registration and supervision of Tahiti lime plantations make São Paulo the largest exporter in the country, with more than 60% of the lime exported. With the opening of the Japanese and Chilean markets in 2025, the Agricultural Defense began registering and monitoring the Hass avocado variety on the properties and packing houses that process this fruit. Currently, 05 properties and 05 packing houses are registered.

The São Paulo Agribusiness Technology Agency (Apta) presented to the fair visitors the genetic improvement of the Agronomic Institute (IAC-Apta) with tropical and subtropical fruits, such as grapes, blackberries, peaches, macadamia nuts, persimmons, citrus fruits, bananas, passion fruit, pineapples, among others. The Biological Institute (IB-Apta) brought research on plant health to Fruit Attraction, with studies on pests and diseases that affect fruit crops.

It is worth remembering that the Agriculture Secretariat, through the São Paulo Agribusiness Expansion Fund (Feap), has a credit line of R$10 million aimed at fruit growing with a rate of 3% per year, 84 months of term and 24 months of grace period.