US delegation visits properties producing mangoes for export

The annual inspection is part of the fruit export program for the North American market and was resumed after two years

04.10.2021 | 20:59 (UTC -3)
Mapa

In September, a delegation from the United States government visited mango-producing properties in Petrolina (PE), which export the fruit to that country. The annual inspection, which evaluates the quality of the fruits, is part of the Mango Export Program to the United States and was suspended two years ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has now resumed with the start of the 2021 mango export season.

The group was received by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), the federal superintendencies of Pernambuco and Bahia, Vigiagro, the agricultural defense agencies of the two states and irrigated fruit producers from the Association of Producers and Exporters of Vegetables and Derivatives from the São Francisco Valley (Valexport).

As packing houses (facility where fruit is processed before reaching the market) in Vale do São Francisco are inspected by Mapa, especially in relation to the adoption of hydrothermal treatment and pest control, such as fruit flies.

“It was an important meeting to show the strength and importance that the irrigated fruit export program has for Brazil”, stated the federal superintendent of agriculture in Pernambuco, Carlos Ramalho.

After the technical meeting, the delegation, composed of Jessica L. Simon (consul general of the United States in Recife) and Kelsey Branch (director of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for South America – service of the United States Ministry of Agriculture for health inspection, visited orchards, packing houses and wineries.

Mango export

In 2020, national mango exports reached a value of US$246,9 million, with the sale of 243,2 thousand tons, according to the Mango Market Observatory of Embrapa Semiarid (PE). In terms of export volume, the numbers represented an increase of 13% compared to 2019, remaining above average throughout the year.

The Tommy Atkins varieties are mainly destined for the North American market; and Kent, Keitt and Palmer, for Europe.

The Vale do São Francisco region, located in the semi-arid northeast, leads the export of national mango, with 212,2 thousand tons last year, corresponding to 87% of the total exported of the fruit by Brazil.

The waters of the São Francisco River that supply the irrigation districts make mango the most cultivated fruit with the greatest economic and social importance in the region. According to information from the Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics at the University of São Paulo (Cepea/USP), the planted area in 2020 was 49 thousand hectares, the largest in Brazil. 

With the use of irrigation and the availability of sunshine, the region is able to maintain fruit production throughout the year, supplying the domestic and foreign markets.

The most planted varieties are Palmer, Tommy, Kent and Keitt, although others are found, such as Haden, Ataulfo, Rosa and Espada Vermelha.

Mangiculture in the semi-arid region is also known for the high yields achieved and the quality of the fruit. Even though it is a highly technology-intensive activity, it is cultivated in the region by small and large producers, a result favored by the expansion of investments and credit lines and also by agricultural research, with the availability of increasingly precise technological packages.

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