Amid the coronavirus epidemic, the pecan harvest begins in RS

With the start of the pecan harvest in Rio Grande do Sul in April, the expectation is for intense movement in the orchards from the next few weeks onwards. Walnut trees are cultivated on around eight thousand hectares in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná, which places Brazil as the fourth largest producer of the fruit in the world. The soil and temperate climate of southern Brazil are ideal for growing the plant.

While in the orchards the fruits are in the final stage of maturation, in the industry hygiene and prevention preparations are being finalized, to begin the selection and processing of the harvested fruits.

The Director of the Brazilian Association of Nuts, Chestnuts and Dried Fruits (ABNC), Edson Ortiz highlights that the situation is delicate around the world, however it is necessary for some activities to continue operating, but with all the precautions recommended by the WHO. Ortiz, who is also director of Divinut, the largest buyer of pecans in South America, highlights that the time is now to reinforce local partnerships.

“We live in moments of uncertainty where partnership and fidelity in relationships have never been more important. We need to use strategies to ensure continuous operation of the rural business. When negotiating with our customers, we offer the certainty that they can always count on us”, says the manager.

Headquartered in Cachoeira do Sul, where it has the largest nursery of covered-root pecan tree seedlings in the world, Divinut is one of the largest producers of the fruit in Brazil, with a wide variety of options for whole fruits, pieces, sweets and savory.

“We serve the market in the center of the country and internationally, the demand is certain, which is why we are able to offer a very advantageous remuneration for the producer. We have the best prices on the market for quality fruits”, guarantees Ortiz. Among the factors that can affect the price are humidity, the presence of impurities and the use of the pulp in relation to the thickness of the peel.

Operating for two decades in a market that grows 20% to 30% per year, Divinut's expectation is to expand its operations in the three southern states, where it already has more than 1.400 registered suppliers. In addition to purchasing production, the Divinut Partnership System also ensures rural producers continued assistance at all stages, planting planning, registered seedlings and production improvement.

“We are able to very well serve pecan producers in regions as different as Santa Maria, in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Chapecó, in the West of Santa Catarina, Cascavel, in Paraná and the municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre”, ends.

Overview of the 2020 harvest

Brazil, which recently became the 4th largest pecan producer in the world, is expected to record a smaller harvest of the fruit in 2020. The reason would be fewer cold hours than the walnut trees need, coupled with a lot of rain in the pollination period in the months of September and October, followed by drought at the time of grain filling. All of this should be reflected in the final harvest numbers, as Ortiz explains.

“The 2019 harvest, which reached 3.500 tons, placed Brazil in the world ranking of fruit production, behind only Mexico, the USA and South Africa. However, the seasonality of the crop and other factors should reduce productivity”, he states. .

According to data from the RS Department of Agriculture, the cultivated area in the state is 6,5 thousand hectares. Due to this alternation in productivity, the 2021 harvest should present better results, with more careful management and a more balanced plant and soil. Currently, Rio Grande do Sul is the largest producer and processor of pecans in Brazil.