Brazil, which was once among the largest cocoa exporters, today occupies sixth place globally with production still insufficient to supply the country's industrial park. Therefore, with the aim of seeking innovative solutions to the main challenges of Brazilian cocoa farming, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa) launched the so-called Cacau Conecta AgTechs 2022. Researchers, producers, industry professionals, investors and AgTechs (startup with focus on agribusiness) can register until November 15th.
The call for startups will promote the meeting of AgTechs and investors for networking, visibility and business opportunities, whose products or services presented seek solutions to identified bottlenecks in the cocoa production chain, in line with the global sustainability trend. To face challenges in production, innovative solutions are sought that support producers in decision-making to manage the crop and increase production efficiency, as well as solutions aimed at counting fruits at different stages of growth to estimate fruiting and production.
When talking about quality, the interest is in creative solutions that seek to improve the quality of almonds and perfect the fermentation process, including protocols, inoculums, etc. and also solutions aimed at classifying almonds in terms of external appearance and cut test. .
For Foodtechs, the objective is to have innovative answers for the development of cocoa co-products, chocolate production and strengthening new markets.
The initiative consists of the following steps:
The call will take place in a virtual format, with the exception of its last stage and awards, which will take place during the Chocolat Festival 2022 in São Paulo, between the 15th and 18th of December 2022. The initiative is from the Executive Committee of the Cacau Farming Plan ( CEPlac) together with the Agro Hub Brasil Program, both from the Secretariat of Innovation, Sustainable Development and Irrigation (SDI).
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The cocoa sector's goal is to achieve self-sufficiency in almond production by 2025, and by 2030 for Brazil to stand out even more as a producer of quality cocoa and chocolate, conserving the environment.
To reach this level and take Brazil back to the top of the production ranking, technologies, products, processes and services are needed, as well as applied knowledge and information, such as: improving genetics; pest and disease control; cultural management; optimization of products and processes related to post-harvest and agroindustry; combined with sustainability principles to increase productivity, strengthen production, add value to the product and deliver value to Brazilian society.
According to the National Association of Cocoa Processing Industries (AIPC), which covers the three largest milling industries, the installed capacity in Bahia allows the grinding of 275 thousand tons of cocoa beans per year. The Brazilian chocolate park also has medium and small processing units and more than 100 brands that use the “tree to bar” and “bean to bar” concept, that is, the process is controlled from the plantation or from from receiving the dried almonds to producing the chocolate bars.
It is estimated, therefore, that the cocoa processing capacity in Brazil is greater than 300 thousand tons of beans/year. As the country has annual production below this capacity, with an average of 209 thousand tons/year in the last three years (2019/2020/2021), Brazilian industries need to import cocoa to reduce idleness.
Through initiatives such as the so-called Cacau Conecta AgTechs 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture and the main players in the production chain have converged on the objective of expanding cocoa production, improving its quality, and promoting the sustainability of the production chain, generating income and work Of Quality.
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Course is approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and anyone interested in working in this sector as managers, pilots and application assistants can register.
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